How many times have you heard of money issues, or questionable financial compatibility, causing couples to part ways?
With money being the #1 source of strain in romantic relationships, it is wise to understand the potential financial problems you and your partner could run into.
Wealth Strategist and Author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, T. Harv Eker, learned that the road to success, happiness, and wealth requires the fuel of communication, planning, and the practice of excellent habits and principles.
And judging by the results of his choices, he seems to be a good example to model which is why listening to what he has to say could make a world of difference for you.
More money will only make you more of who you already are. -T. Harv Eker
Oftentimes there’s disunity between what partners expect of each other financially, and how they communicate those expectations.
Naturally, most of the squabbling and suspicion could be eradicated if couples would willingly explore their financial compatibility at the beginning of their relationships.
The alternative, to ignore talking about money matters, usually results in an unbearable source of destructive tension, says Harv.
If you’d like to prevent money misery, we suggest you take this financial compatibility test to determine whether you and your partner are a financial dream or disaster in the making.
You are your habits and how you do anything is how you do everything. -T. Harv Eker
As you answer these 7 questions, Harv recommends that you keep track of your selected answer (#01 - #05) to each.
The answer keys after the quiz explain what your choices reveal about your financial compatibility.
Get your pen and paper...
Let's go!
#01-Never – There’s no need to, as only one of us manages all the household finances.
#02-Rarely – Only if there’s a problem — and so far, so good.
#03-Regularly – We budget together, check-in, and keep each other accountable for sticking to it.
#04-Constantly – Money’s either tight, or someone’s not sticking to the budget — either way, we have constant conversations about finances.
#05-Not applicable – We maintain our finances separately, so there’s nothing to talk about.
#01-True, I reckon – He/she has momentary ups and downs, sometimes disrupting the budget, but overall I think their spending’s okay.
#02-False – I’d like it more if my partner would spend less on non-essentials.
#03-True – When we review our finances, it’s evident that he/she is responsible with money.
#04-False – He/she is a total shopaholic and spends far too much!
#05-Not applicable – It is his/her money to spend — It’s none of my business.
#01-Yes, maybe – I’m on track with the goals we must save for, I just hope my partner is too.
#02-Not really – We set some goals together, but one of us overspends and has excessive debt which holds us back.
#03-Yes, definitely – We agreed on mutual financial goals we are working on achieving, and we both contribute and track our progress together.
#04-No – There’s never money left over to save and we have therefore not bothered to set any goals yet.
#05-Not applicable – We save and spend our own money as we see fit — my partner and I don’t share any financial goals.
#01-No – I have no secrets — although my partner might.
#02-Yes – I sometimes lie about how much I spent or hide receipts, but nothing major.
#03-No – We consult each other on big decisions that could affect us both and talk honestly and openly about money.
#04-Yes – I have a ton of debt which I’m hoping my partner never finds out about.
#05-Yes – I have bank accounts of my own that my partner doesn’t know or need to know about.
#01-I’m unfamiliar with an emergency fund — I hope my partner caters for one though!
#02-Yes – We’re working together on saving up our first $1,000.
#03-Yes – We have enough emergency funds saved up to cover approximately three months’ worth of expenses.
#04-No – Between debt repayments and overspending, we’re nowhere near starting any emergency fund.
#05-No – I’ve put a lot away in savings in case I might need it, but my partner has to fund their own emergencies.
#01-Yes – I haven’t seen him/her make any bad decisions yet.
#02-Not Really – I doubt I’d be comfortable with my partner managing our finances.
#03-Yes, Definitely – We’re on the same page with saving and spending our money, so I trust my partner’s judgment.
#04-No Way – My partner’s a complete disaster when it comes to money management.
#05-No – Our finances are separate, so this is not something for us to consider in the first place.
#01-I have no idea – I’ve never bothered asking.
#02-Sure, for the most part – I’m pretty responsible with our money and we seldom argue, so I assume my partner has trust in me.
#03-Yes – Our open communication on finances shows me that my partner and I trust each other equally.
#04-Probably not – I doubt my partner trusts me with our finances considering how often we argue about money.
#05-Irrelevant – What I do with my money is none of my partner’s concern.
Which number did you select most often?
Who knows what your financial compatibility looks like?!
You have an “ignorance is bliss” attitude towards your finances.
If you’d like to make sure that you and your partner are a financial fit, it’s time to have a talk about money and get on the same page, Harv says.
Discuss your habits around managing money, your weaknesses and strengths, your concerns, and your goals.
He suggests that you create a budget together and choose who will be managing what.
There are no glaringly obvious major money problems between you and your partner, however, Harv warns that there could be potential issues down the road.
Remember that conversations around money shouldn’t only happen when something’s gone wrong, instead, Harv urges you to make the time for regular reviews on your financial situation with your partner.
This, he believes, will create the opportunity for mutual trust, and peace of mind as regards the household finances and you get to discuss areas for improvement before anything becomes a major issue.
You and your partner share a healthy understanding of each other’s goals and values regarding money, Harv reckons.
You both take responsibility for your finances and communication is open.
Yikes, what a mess… your present financial situation needs work, and you’re both responsible for it, Harv asserts.
Whether you’re the over-spender or the silent partner who says nothing when the actions of your beloved are upsetting… things can only get worse from here.
So Harv insists that if you’d like to be financially successful together, you don’t allow it.
It might be a great idea to consult a financial advisor or marriage counselor to help you both get on a common track with your money, he adds.
You’re both leading financially independent lives.
For unmarried couples or some married couples who choose to keep their finances separate, it’s not the worst idea, Harv states.
However, he cautions that should you one day choose to settle down or find yourselves in an emergency requiring a joint decision, it is important to discuss finances and understand each other’s goals and habits.
Big moments such as a home purchase or medical emergency can be handled much easier, says Harv, when you have open communication with your partner and know them as well as their habits.
If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy. -T. Harv Eker
How did you and your partner do on this quiz?
Finances and relationships go hand in hand because money makes the world go round and people use money to survive as well as maintain a certain quality of life.
If you could eliminate the stress of poor money habits, that’s half the battle won in a happy successful long-term relationship.
When you put your energy into behaviors and experiences that support prosperity and happiness, not only is life easier, but you set an example for others to do the same.
Discussing finances in a relationship breeds trust and integrity.
Particularly if you foresee a long-term mutually beneficial and satisfying arrangement where the common ground is paved with communication and respect.
Absent a strong foundation of planning and a two-way understanding, all the fun in the world will not save a relationship that is being weighed down by the stress of money mismanagement.
Happiness is a choice, and so is every habit you nurture - choose to plan your future together and you can look forward to a blissful blessed one!
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Has your Mind ever wondered...
Being on the same page as regards what is best for your relationship includes financial compatibility to prevent unnecessary instability and tension.
When you have common values, habits, and goals in a relationship, you are more likely to effectively communicate these, as well as share facts about your personal finances with each other.
Your individual as well as mutual money habits could make or break your relationship.
Secrecy and unwillingness to openly communicate can cause a rift.
The habit of making debt and spending excessively, especially when you’re dipping into a joint budget, is a passion-killing red flag that could not only end up in a couple splitting but result in financial ruin for one or both parties in the relationship.
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