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Money is always a big issue in marriage. We often hear that time is money, money is the root of all evil and money doesn’t grow on trees. These are different assumptions people have about money. We should know that money is power and it is an essential part of our life. Unfortunately, spouses often bump head, even when they have enough money. When it is about money, couples tend to argue, instead of talking peacefully. Here are reasons why money can be such a big thing in marriage:
- For everyone, money represents security: Living in the modern society is filled with uncertainty and when it comes to money, someone’s security can be jeopardized if he doesn’t have enough money. Many people are already obsessed with the American Dream and when the cyclical economic recession strikes again, many thousands lost their jobs and homes. They are no longer able to pay their bills and mortgage. Couples could start to argue about money when mortgage payments got really far behind. It is quite frightening when couples have started to obtain warnings from creditors and debt collection agencies. For many people, money strongly represents security and it is important for them to know that they can take care of the whole family. When money is lacking, security has been compromised and no one will feel safe anymore.
- Both spouses think that they have strong involvement with money: Both spouses could think that they are the actual money manager in the family. They want to know what’s happening with the whole marital finances and they want to have full control of the situation. Let’s face it, not everyone has proper administrative skills. People may need to be reminded that it is important for them to pay the bills. They may have specific goals and opinions about how the money should be used. Problems may start to creep up and the designated money manager will think that he/she is carrying the weight of the whole world. They will think about the proper financial decisions that they need to make. Finances in family affect the husband, wife, children and other dependents, such as elderly grandparents who live in the same house. In many cases, money management will require the involvement of another person. It is important for them to know what’s going on with their finances. It is a bad thing if the money manager doesn’t even know how to properly pay the bills.
- Couples want to keep up with the Joneses: There are a few dirty little secrets that the Joneses don’t want us to know. They could up to their neck in late notices and bills. They could be struggling financially. In public, they could act as if they are all so wealthy, wearing the finest clothes and driving the latest car models. However, they may not be able to continuously living a lie. If we want to keep up with them, we will become someone else’s Joneses, who are also buried deep in late notices and bills. We could be seeing some of the best acting jobs, but these people are actually struggling.