Budgeting To Preserve A Happy Marriage

We have a family of 5....Okay, 8 if you could our 3 dogs as well! And we have one "real" income. Sure blogging helps me provide a lot of really neat extras for my family, but it certainly doesn't pay all of the bills. Perhaps that's something I should work towards in the new year.

Anyway, like in many households, money gets tight sometimes. Even though we live quite frugally, and always within our means, there are unexpected expenses that can crop up. For example, we're going through a bit of a crisis right now. (Which is why things have been a little quiet on the blog this week!) Our main drain in the basement is clogged, and we can't really use much water until it's fixed. This means no showering, washing dishes, or doing laundry. We're even trying not to flush the toilets unless it's absolutely necessary. So I have a growing pile of dishes to do, clothes that need washing, and I have been giving the kids wipe-downs with baby wipes for the past couple of days. Not fun...Not fun at all, my friends.

Luckily, in my home I manage our money and I was able to shift numbers around  so we could afford to get this repaired. By the end of the evening, the tree root that is obstructing the water flow should be removed and life should resume as normal.

Life is full of unexpected expenses, and often, we're not prepared for them. This can be very stressful and can create arguments about money. Did you know that a staggering amount of divorces occur due to financial stress? To help keep your marriage thriving and your pocket-book (and sanity) intact, actively budgeting is a must.

How can budgeting help? In LOTS of ways! For one, it allows a couple to create an open dialogue about money. When you can see where all of your money is going, it's a lot easier to prevent overspending and it minimizes the effect that life's little surprises can have.

Budgeting can also encourage couples to work together in a healthy collaborative effort. I do most of the budgeting in my home, but my husband does talk to me about expenses he thinks I should work in to our budget. This creates an ongoing dialogue between us, and we feel like we're working together as a team.

For more ways a healthy budget can improve your marriage, check out this great article, 10 Ways Budgeting Saved My Marriage.

How do you stay on top of your finances? Does your spouse play an active role?


***Disclosure: Information contributed by Genworth Financial, but all opinions are my own.***