How to Talk Money with Your Honey

Are you intimidated by the idea of talking about money?

Conversations around money in marriage can often be intimidating. Even the idea of combining two completely different lifestyles under one roof, carries its own fears and expectations. This is why communication is key to managing money as a couple. Without the collective ability to disclose personal debt accumulations, spending habits, savings goals, and financial fears with each other, you won’t be able to work together to build the financial freedom that you desire as a couple.

In this episode of the Redefining Wealth Podcast, my husband Gerald and I will be sharing some of the money lessons that we’ve learned over the last 13 years of marriage, as well as the steps we’ve taken to help us have intimidating money conversations. There have been so many ups and downs along our journey, but our underlying mission to communicate openly has allowed us to build the life of our dreams while chasing purpose and successfully saving for the future.

Key discussion points from this episode include:

How To Have A Collective Conversation About Money – 4:08
The Benefits of Weekly Meetings – 7:31
How To Initiate The Money Conversation – 11:49
Dispelling Money Myths – 13:40
Creating A Money Mantra – 16:25
Learning Each Other’s Financial Blueprint – 20:00
Setting Shared Financial Goals – 29:19
Apologizing When Needed – 40:30
Celebrating Every Win – 44:06

This episode is sponsored by SmartyPig. SmartyPig is a FREE, FDIC-insured, high-yield savings account that lets you set multiple financial goals and open simple savings accounts with visuals for each goal. SmartyPig accounts are offered through Sallie Mae Bank, a Member of the FDIC, and of course, all thoughts and opinions are my own. To learn more about SmartyPig visit https://www.smartypig.com/.

How to Talk Money with Your Honey Takeaways

If you’re committed to growing individually and collectively, the outcome will always be positive.” – Gerald Washington
“Understanding money reaches back to what we’re taught, and learned and saw.” – Gerald Washington
“Money Monday meetings bring clarity, security and comfort.” – Gerald Washington
“Family is a business. In order to run it successfully you need meetings to talk about everything so that everyone is on the same page and knows their action items to tackle for the week.” – Gerald Washington
“Our family meetings have allowed us to set goals, hit metrics, share responsibilities and support each other.” – Patrice Washington
“The biggest thing that people have to learn when married or in a relationship is that I don’t work for you and you don’t work for me. We’re in this together.” – Gerald Washington
“We’re classically conditioned as a society to take on these beliefs that are rooted in nothing.” – Gerald Washington
“Been there, done that, on the way back.” – Gerald Washington
“Men have to look at the entrepreneurial effort of their spouse as equally as they do themselves.” – Gerald Washington
“It’s never just about money, it’s always the thoughts and the beliefs that power the actions behind what you do.” – Patrice Washington
“Let him love you the way he needs to love you.” – Patrice Washington
“I don’t miss whatever the dollar amount was that was spent on the tickets. The only thing that I’m going to go to the grave with is the experience with my family.” – Patrice Washington
“I would not live the same quality of life had I just married someone like me.” – Patrice Washington
“When you have a shared goal it makes your individual decisions match the outcome of the shared goal.” – Gerald Washington
“SmartyPig provides order to everything that we’re doing.” – Gerald Washington
“It doesn’t take knowing everything to be successful in money.” – Patrice Washington