financial habits Archives

If You Stay With Her: 10 Reasons She’ll Always Keep You Broke

April 2, 2025 By Shay Huntley Leave a Comment

A couple leaving the shop after a successful shopping day. — Image Source: 123rf.com

Relationships are often built on love and shared values, but financial compatibility plays a critical role in long-term stability. Staying in a relationship with someone whose habits undermine financial growth can lead to a constant cycle of stress and stagnation. The following are ten reasons why staying with “her” (or any partner with these tendencies) might keep you from achieving financial security.

1. She Spends Beyond Her Means

A partner who constantly lives beyond her financial capacity may drain both your budget and future savings. Whether it’s unnecessary shopping sprees or luxury vacations, overspending quickly depletes resources. This behavior creates an unsustainable lifestyle and leaves little room for financial growth or stability.

2. She Avoids Budgeting

Financial planning requires discipline and cooperation. If she refuses to stick to a budget or ignores the importance of tracking expenses, it can lead to long-term financial chaos. Without a shared commitment to budgeting, it’s difficult to make progress toward shared goals like homeownership or retirement savings.

3. She Criticizes Your Financial Goals

A supportive partner respects and encourages your ambition, whether that means saving for a business or paying off debt. However, if she dismisses your financial plans or questions your priorities, it can hinder progress. Financial mismatches often emerge when values and goals aren’t aligned.

4. She Seeks Instant Gratification

When impulse purchases or instant rewards take precedence over long-term financial decisions, savings suffer. A partner focused on immediate gratification may not value investment opportunities or saving for the future. This tendency can undermine efforts to build wealth and secure stability.

5. She Rejects Financial Responsibility

Taking ownership of financial decisions is key in any relationship. If she avoids responsibilities like paying bills or managing joint expenses, the burden may fall disproportionately on you. Over time, this imbalance can lead to resentment and financial strain.

6. She Has Uncontrolled Debt

Close-up Of Debt Card And Debt Text On Stacked Wooden Block — Image Source: 123rf.com

Debt itself isn’t necessarily bad—many people rely on loans or credit for major life purchases. However, a partner who accrues debt irresponsibly or avoids repayment can sabotage your financial health. It’s crucial to address and manage debt together to avoid long-term repercussions.

7. She Ignores Financial Education

Financial literacy empowers individuals to make smarter decisions about money. A partner who isn’t willing to learn or improve her financial knowledge may struggle to contribute effectively to shared goals. Avoiding education can lead to missed opportunities and costly mistakes.

8. She Relies Exclusively on Your Income

A relationship built on mutual contribution fosters equality and stability. If she consistently relies on your income without exploring her earning potential, the dynamic becomes one-sided. Financial independence is important for both partners, ensuring a balanced and secure future.

9. She Prefers Short-Term Comfort Over Long-Term Security

Savings, investments, and careful planning require sacrifice and foresight. A partner who prioritizes short-term comforts—such as frequent dining out or extravagant purchases—over long-term financial goals can limit progress. Aligning priorities is crucial for building a sustainable future.

10. She Resists Change

Acknowledging financial habits and making adjustments requires self-awareness and a willingness to change. If she refuses to recognize harmful spending behaviors or actively resists improvement, it can prevent meaningful growth. Financial success often depends on adaptability and commitment to change.

Prioritize Financial Compatibility

Love is vital in a relationship, but financial compatibility ensures long-term success. If your partner exhibits these habits and refuses to address them, it’s worth re-evaluating the relationship’s impact on your future. Open communication and shared responsibility are key to overcoming financial challenges.

Have you experienced similar financial struggles in a relationship? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below!

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Shay Huntley

Shatel Huntley has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. In her spare time, she works with special needs adults and travels the world. Her interests include traveling to off-the-beaten-path destinations, shopping, couponing, and saving.

Good Money Habits: 10 Easy Ways to Get on Track

April 15, 2024 By Catherine Reed Leave a Comment

In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and economic uncertainties, cultivating good money habits has never been more crucial. The ever-changing financial landscape demands adaptability and foresight, making financial prudence not just advisable but essential for long-term stability. Here are ten straightforward strategies to fortify your financial position, ensuring you remain resilient in the face of both current and future economic trends.

1. Embrace Budgeting

At the heart of good money management lies the practice of budgeting. This fundamental habit extends beyond mere expenditure tracking; it’s about deeply understanding your financial inflows and outflows. With the digital revolution offering a plethora of budgeting tools and apps, managing your finances has become more accessible. Begin by breaking down your spending into categories and setting feasible limits for each, thus fostering a disciplined approach to money management.

2. Emergency Fund

Recent global events have underscored the critical importance of maintaining an emergency fund. Such a fund should ideally cover three to six months’ worth of living expenses, providing a financial cushion during unforeseen circumstances such as sudden unemployment or health crises. Establishing this safety net ensures that unexpected events don’t derail your financial stability, keeping you afloat without the need to incur debt.

3. Smart Debt Management

In the realm of personal finance, strategic debt management is vital. While certain debts can be considered investments in your future, such as student loans or mortgages, others, particularly those with high interest rates like credit card debts, should be urgently tackled. Explore options such as debt consolidation or balance transfers to mitigate interest expenses. The goal is maintaining a balance where debt facilitates growth without impeding financial freedom.

4. Invest in Your Future

Investing is integral to a robust financial plan, and it’s accessible to everyday people, not just the affluent. The rise of micro-investment platforms has democratized investing, allowing individuals to begin with modest amounts. Adherence to principles of regularity and diversification in your investment endeavors is vital. Focus on long-term vehicles like retirement accounts, which offer the dual benefits of compounded growth and potential tax advantages.

5. Cultivate Multiple Income Streams

The gig economy has illuminated the risks associated with depending on a single source of income. Developing alternative income streams, whether through side projects, freelance work, or investments, enhances financial security and independence. This income diversity not only augments your earnings but also provides a safeguard against the volatility of employment markets.

6. Automate Your Finances

Leveraging automation can significantly bolster your financial discipline. By setting up automatic transfers to savings or investment accounts, you ensure consistent growth in your financial reserves without the need for constant oversight. Similarly, automating bill payments can help circumvent late fees, safeguarding your credit rating.

7. Strategic Spending

A transformative approach to spending involves adopting a strategy, shifting away from impulsive purchases to intentional spending that aligns with your values. Each spending decision should be assessed to foster a more fulfilling relationship with money where discretionary funds support joy instead of wanton consumption.

8. Regular Financial Check-Ups

Analogous to physical health, your financial well-being benefits from regular examinations. Establish a routine, be it monthly or quarterly, to assess your financial health. This practice not only aids in adjusting your budget to better reflect your financial goals but also provides an opportunity to celebrate milestones and recalibrate strategies as necessary.

9. Monitor Your Credit Report

Monitoring your credit score regularly allows you to understand your financial standing and make informed decisions about credit and loans. It helps in identifying any inaccuracies or fraudulent activities early on, safeguarding your financial health. Plus, a good credit score can unlock better interest rates and terms for loans and credit, saving you money in the long run.

10. Continuous Learning

A foundational understanding of personal finance is invaluable, but adopting a mindset of continuous learning is vital to ongoing financial success. Explore new books, attend intriguing seminars, or take personal finance classes to learn new techniques and strategies. That way, you’ll have new tools to help you confidently navigate financial challenges.

Good Money Habits Put You on the Path Toward Financial Success!

Good money habits transcend mere savings; they encapsulate a holistic approach to financial wellness, characterized by stability, security, and autonomy. By integrating these ten strategies into your lifestyle, you can adeptly navigate the shifting economic currents and secure your financial future. Remember, building a resilient financial foundation is a gradual process, so start with small, consistent steps and see your financial health flourish over time.

Are You Teaching Your Kids to Follow Your Financial Habits?

Catherine Reed

Catherine is a tech-savvy writer who has focused on the personal finance space for more than eight years. She has a Bachelor’s in Information Technology and enjoys showcasing how tech can simplify everyday personal finance tasks like budgeting, spending tracking, and planning for the future. Additionally, she’s explored the ins and outs of the world of side hustles and loves to share what she’s learned along the way. When she’s not working, you can find her relaxing at home in the Pacific Northwest with her two cats or enjoying a cup of coffee at her neighborhood cafe.

Are You Teaching Your Kids to Follow Your Financial Habits?

September 18, 2023 By MelissaB 9 Comments

My oldest is 10, and he does chores around the house to earn an allowance. He works hard, and we’ve taught him to set aside a percentage for investing (10%), for saving (20%), and for giving (10%). That leaves him to spend 60% of everything he earns.

And spend he does!

He finds it extremely difficult to let his spend money sit and grow so that he can buy something bigger. Instead, as soon as the money hits his hands, he wants to spend it even if it’s a fairly insubstantial amount and can’t buy him much.

He just can’t seem to save up for the things he wants.

Instead, he’s enticed by advertisements. He reads the newspaper and magazines to find free catalogs to send away for, and then he wants to spend his money on any little thing.

It’s driving me crazy.

His money, his life. I should let him spend the money and be disappointed when he has no money to spend later.

Actually, that’s already happened. When we first moved to Arizona, he saw a 2015 calendar at Costco for $15. This calendar had scenic landscapes of Arizona and was quite pretty. I told him to wait because as 2014 came to a close, he could get calendars cheaper. But he couldn’t wait, and then in December and January, he was disgusted to find how cheap calendars got.

Still, his behavior hasn’t changed.

As a parent, I wonder how much I should interfere.

You see, when I was young, I was just like my son. I spent every Saturday at the mall, my money burning a hole in my pocket. I HAD to buy something, even if it was just a pair of socks I didn’t need. Every week, I walked through the same stores, buying stuff I didn’t need, just like my son buys the stuff he doesn’t need now.

However, my mom never stepped in. She gave me a wide amount of freedom. Whatever money I earned was mine to spend how I liked. She didn’t even ask that I set aside a portion of it for savings.

I was a responsible kid and bought my own car, paid my insurance, paid for gas, and also bought my own clothes. I think she figured that I was handling my money well, so it was up to me to decide what to do with the rest.

When I was a teenager, my friend and I used our money from our job to go out to eat and see a movie every Friday. Sometimes we’d go out to eat on the weekdays, too.

What a waste!

Imagine if I had instead invested just a small portion of that in a Roth IRA. Or if I had saved it to pay for part of my college education. Maybe I wouldn’t have graduated with $25,000 in student loan debt.

Even now, I have a hard time saving, though I am getting much better. I’m finally able to stick to a budget and make saving a priority. It’s taken me 40 years to break bad spending habits that I learned in childhood. Let’s be honest, getting a hot deal isn’t really a deal if you don’t need the item and it robs you of the ability to save.

I want to teach my son this lesson now, so he can be more financially responsible than I was for many years. But that lesson is oh so hard to teach.

How much do you guide and interfere in the way your child chooses to spend money?

For More Great Reads, consider checking out Kidwealth.com and kidsaintcheap.com.

MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.