In my last blog, I covered the first step in helping couples survive financially. That was establishing a realistic budget. But then we also saw that we needed to communicate weekly if we want to succeed in the plan that we have established. If we do not follow our budget (monthly survival document), then we are destined for financial ruin. My desire is to see people succeed financially and thereby develop the ability to not always be a taker, or tipper, but move into the arena of tither. Remember, Jesus said, “The people of this world look out for themselves better than the people who belong to the light.” Luke 16:8 CEV. The next step in success is learning the Do’s and Don’ts.
Do’s and Don’ts
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Don’ts
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DO break your bad debt habits before they break your marriage.
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More than a third of millennials say student loan debt (among other kinds of debt and money issues) led to their divorce. Considering the typical divorce today costs $15,500 and divorce attorneys charge a common rate of $250 per hour, it pays to have good sense when dealing with debt.
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DON’T live beyond your means.
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Nearly 80 percent of American workers are living paycheck-to-paycheck with no financial cushion whatsoever and nearly three out of four say they are in debt. A big part of the reason boils down to living beyond our means.
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DO communicate honestly about your spending habits.
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Set a monthly “date” to discuss your finances together. If you think that sounds unromantic, think of it in terms of safeguarding your marriage against financial infidelity (such as “hiding compulsive shopping or gambling debts”), which experts say is on the rise. More than forty percent of American adults admit to hiding debts, accounts, and bad spending habits from their spouse – and millennials are nearly twice as likely to hide negative spending habits compared with other generations.
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DON’T abuse your credit.
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Although it might be tempting to buy furnishings or electronics for your new home, impulse purchases can really add up and harm your credit down the road. Low credit scores can cost consumers tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a loan. A good rule of thumb is to keep your credit usage at no more than 30 percent of the credit limits on each card.
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In my next blog I am going to talk about one of our
favorite topics…saving!