Speak with your partner about financial goals
Valentine’s Day is coming up! Have you talked to your partner about your financial goals?
This week's bingo square is to have a conversation with your partner about your financial goals. Discussing our financial goals and priorities is a key piece to a stable relationship.
How should I prepare?
Set a date on your calendars in advance and treat this as a money date! Get something yummy to drink or munch on, light a candle, and maybe put on some soothing music. Treat it as you would any other external engagement; keep your commitment to each other and your finances!
Here are some topics you can discuss together:
Your individual goals and how you can support one another
For instance, if one of you is working to pay off debt, how can your partner better support your emotionally through this process?
Your joint financial goals
What are your shared financial goals? Are you working towards home-ownership, building your retirement savings, etc?
Revisit these goals to make sure you are on the same page. As your circumstances change it's normal for our goals to change as well.
How you are progressing towards your goals
Do you need to shift or adjust your saving strategies?
Any financial wins you'd like to acknowledge
Sometimes we spend so much time focusing on the future we forget to acknowledge how far we have come. Celebrate your accomplishments together!
What can support look like?
When dealing with financial goals it can help to articulate your needs to yourself and your partner. This can take many forms such as emotional support, accountability check-ins, etc. Remember that financial wellness is a journey, not a destination so make sure you have the support you need along the way.
If you don't have a partner (or even if you do!), consider reaching out to close friends and family to ask for support too. It can be extremely helpful to have external support from our community to help us reach our goals.
For instance, maybe you're trying to build up your emergency savings fund but keep getting dinner out with friends. Talk to you friends about lower-cost options for spending quality time together such as a potluck or getting drinks out instead of a full meal. Brainstorm together what options could look like. Having the support of others can go a long way in helping you increase your savings; who knows, maybe you'll inspire them to do the same!
Let me know how it goes and well done on another bingo square completed!
