Today, we're going over how to divide financial responsibilities in a marriage (or any relationship!), plus why it will help you take control of your budget and stop fighting about your finances! We're answering all of your questions!
Have you ever thought about why you fight over finances? It's because you probably have different ways of doing things, thinking about things, and have different priorities. In the past, we've shared about why couples fight about money and some simple things you can do to help prevent fights.
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Now, we're going to go into some major detail on how to divide financial responsibilities in a marriage (or any relationship where you're sharing finances) by using the divide and conquer method. Ready to have your world rocked?!
DIVIDE AND CONQUER YOUR FINANCES!
I suggest dividing up spending responsibilitiesso you aren't stepping on each others' toes! Why?
- To keep your family finances running efficiently and smoothly
- To help you stay on-budget
- To fight less!
Yes, you are working for the same team and the same common goal. But by dividing financial responsibilities in a marriage, you're making sure everything is covered, and it gives everyone the chance to track and manage things their own way.
Think of it this way…
Any successful company doesn't have two CFOs or two CEOs or two CMOs. Why? Because it's not efficient! And they would want to kill each other because everyone has their own way of doing things! The best thing to do is to give everyone their own roles and responsibilities based on their skills, interests, talents, and what they do on a typical daily basis.
WATCH THE VIDEO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DIVIDING SPENDING RESPONSIBILITIES
I summarized this thought in this quick video a few years ago, so take a look. Then scroll below for a detailed example of how my husband and I divide up spending responsibilities in our own household!
Watch the video online over how to divide financial responsibilities in a marriage or click and watch below:
Pretty simple, right? Keep on reading for a better breakdown on how to divide up spending in your family to help you stay on track with your budgets!
HOW TO DIVIDE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN A MARRIAGE
We're here to help you out and give you a few tips to help make dividing the financial responsibilities a breeze. As you're sitting down with your spouse, make sure you're open and communicate honestly.
You'll need to keep a few things in mind, such as your strengths, as well as your spouse's strengths. Use this opportunity to build your spouse up as you are learning how to divide financial responsibilities in a marriage together!
THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO HELP YOU DIVIDE AND CONQUER
- Go through every dollar you've spent for the last three months and write it out, line by line. Yes, EVERYTHING. A spreadsheet is probably easiest! Just print it out when you're done.
- Grab 2 highlighters, assign one color for each person, and don’t stop until every item on your list is divided up!
- Set a budget and take charge of your responsibilities!
Pretty simple, right? Here are a few more tips for success:
- Try to divide based on what your skills, talents, and typical routine revolve around.
- Don’t get too stuck on it looking “fair” — it might not look like a 50/50 even split, and that’s okay!
- This DOES NOT mean that you can’t help each other and you shouldn’t be involved with the financial decisions of your family. It simply means that ONE person is in charge of that particular responsibility, tracking, and spending… but remember, you’re working toward the same common goal!
You need to set a budget for each item, which you can lump together if that makes sense. I promise, it's not as difficult as it sounds!
TRACKING YOUR BUDGETS
Once you have your budgets set, you need to track them! That means you need to:
- Take charge and track the budget for each responsibility, which also typically includes doing the spending, finding the deals, and keeping track of any savings (if needed).
- Spend responsibly and be organized with the shopping and spending.
- Still consult with your partner and be open to suggestions and ideas.
Use our super simple envelope budgeting system to keep track of everything and you'll be good to go!
OUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Here's an idea of how we divide up responsibilities in our house. I'm home with the kids most of the time, so my duties naturally revolve around the home, kids, schools, and activities.
When my husband was working full-time in an office and at a computer all day, his responsibilities naturally revolved around things that could be done on the computer, such as analytical tracking, and things he's interested in such as cars and family time.
Even as his job responsibilities have shifted and he works more out of the home, he is still naturally more analytical and techy.
Remember, every family will be different!
This is how we divide financial responsibilities in our marriage! But your home and financial responsibilities will probably look a little different and that is perfectly a-okay!
DEDICATE ONE BREADWINNER IN THE HOUSEHOLD
Here are a few more thoughts that might help you be successful… I think it's important to dedicate ONE breadwinner and learn to live off of their income alone. Now, that doesn't mean you can't both work. But by living off of ONE income, it helps you prioritize your lifestyle and will help you stay on-track and safe financially. It also gives the second money-maker the flexibility and option of staying home with the kids someday if they so desire, or to put all of their earnings towards your financial goals.
If you're used to spending 100% of your combined incomes, you will be forever stuck with having two full-time workers in the home. Set ONE breadwinner, stock the other income away toward debt first, then savings second, and you'll have security and flexibility that is invaluable!
GO EVEN MORE IN-DEPTH OVER HOW TO DIVIDE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN A MARRIAGE
If this sounds pretty awesome to you, but you're needing a little more hand-holding to get your budget all figured out, then I've got just what you need! My Budget Boot Camp program will help you whip your wallet into shape and become financially secure. All you need is a screen and you're set!
Doesn't that sound ah-mazing? We're so sure you'll love it, we even have a 100% money-back guarantee. Plus, use the code FCFBLOG at checkout to get 10% off, just because I love ya! 😉
Alright, well there you have it! Now you know all there is to know about how to divide financial responsibilities in a marriage by using the divide and conquer method!
Make sure you follow along on social media, such as my personal Instagram, Fun Cheap or Free Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get even more easy financial tips!
Ready for some more valuable financial resources?!
- Does your family have the 7 bank accounts that I recommend every family should have? They're the perfect way to divide up and easily track all of your budgets!
- Learn how to build your credit so you can make purchases when you're ready or how to improve your credit score if it needs a little extra help!
- Learn how credit cards work so you know what you're getting yourself into before you sign up for them!
XOXO,
