In my last blog, we talked about your dreams and your “WHY” for budgeting to live without debt. My “Why” centers on a certain lady I get to spend my days with.
I admit I have an affliction – I can’t spend enough time with my wife Julie. It was that way when we dated in high school, and it’s that way now after being married for 24 years. I simply can’t spend enough time with her.
Until 10 years ago, I wasn’t all that interested in participating in our finances. Jules stayed home with our boys when they were little and my attitude was “I’ll make the money, you manage the money.” I completely left her on her own to try and run a business (our household) all by herself. My lack of participation, our lack of working together, found us both working way too hard and way in debt!
But then we decided we were getting out. We devised a budgeting plan. We worked together. We dreamed of what we’d do with no payments and it worked. In exactly 3 years time, we paid off over fifty thousand dollars in debt. Even more importantly, it revolutionized our relationship. We were finally partners.
It was us against this evil thing (debt) and we were the superheroes!
Money is important and it works its way into every aspect of our lives. When we decided to work together as a team, God took that and ran with it. There’s simply no other explanation for how we did it. When you get on the same page, working together…When the two of you just decide what you’re going to do – and hear me on this – whether it’s money or anything else, God opens up this ability to you that you just don’t get anywhere else. You’re in sync, in step, and God honors that.
So here are a few things you can do to take on your finances together.
4 Ways to to Start Budgeting as a Couple:
- Define your goals – Pray and talk about your spending and saving habits, and what you might like to change. Try to come up with a few key principles to follow.
- Be partners – Plan your budget together as a team. Set aside a time once every week or two to go over it.
- Pray for guidance – Seek to give to God first, and ask Him for wisdom and a strengthened relationship.
- Remove financial pressure. If you have debt, work out a plan to get rid of it together. If you need some outside help, check out Financial Peace University or ask me and I’d be glad to help.
I still don’t get to spend as much time as I really want to with my wife…yet. But because we have a plan, a time is coming when we’ll have plenty of time to do whatever we want to!
Let me know what your “affliction” is by connecting with me, I’d love to hear it!
