5 Tips for Happy Finance Combining

It’s not the most romantic part of any relationship, but having a plan for what a financial future together might look like is a very real and very important part of building a strong foundation. Money can be a delicate subject to navigate, but if you share a strategy and agree on your goals, sharing finances can be simple. Discover tips for combining finances and managing money in your relationship.

1. Be an open book

There is no one-size fits all financial plan. Being on the same page and deciding what will work best for your partnership is what’s important. Be open about sharing your finances–the good and the bad.

2. You don’t have to combine everything at once

You don’t have to co-own every account and pool resources immediately (or ever). Start by sharing your spending plans and listing out your shared expenses, like groceries or utilities. From there, discuss how you’d like to split those costs.

3. Leave room in the budget for independence 

When creating your shared spending plan, be sure to build a bit of spending cash into your budget every month so that both partners have the financial freedom for personal expenses without impacting your shared goals. 

4. But not too much room—set a limit you can spend before consulting with each other

Choose a level that’s right for your situation—$100, $500, or $5,000 and then both partners can feel comfortable with individual decisions being made without worrying about the shared impact.

5. Dream and set goals together

Planning for and managing money can be more than just a chore—it can also be an opportunity for you have fun dreaming about and planning for what’s next together. And you’ll be more successful as a financial team if you create those goals for your future together.