February is filled with candy hearts, red roses, and romance. For those who still enjoy celebrating Valentine’s Day (there are some naysayers out there), it is a nice time to be reminded of and to remind your partner that you appreciate and love them. I think it is nice that we put some time aside to celebrate love and relationships even if, to some, it feels like an obligation.
It also got me thinking. We don’t have these types of obligatory holidays for money conversations or to go over financial goals. It would be nice if once or twice a year Hallmark and Godiva got together to remind us that staying organized and being communicative about finances with our significant other is an extremely important part of keeping a healthy relationship.
I can just see the cards now: Roses are red, violets are blue. I want to change our retirement goals, how ‘bout you? It sounds silly when framed in such a way but touching base on what matters to you in retirement, or in your career or in your purchasing and savings choices is critical to ensuring that your relationship can survive and thrive as life progresses.
Related Article: Improving Your Money Communication in the New Year
Money is one of the biggest sources of frustration in marriages. The main reason is that a lot of people have trouble talking about money. Talking openly and honestly about money can reduce stress in your marriage and can lead to meeting your objectives more quickly when you and your spouse are on the same financial page.
So, this Valentine’s Day I hope you enjoyed the “warm-fuzzies” of your better half but don’t forget to chat about finances throughout the year too. It will make the romance that much sweeter.
