Posts Tagged ‘financial communication’
Monday, May 7th, 2012
Statistics show that the average family spends $369 per day on lodging, gas, food and fun on a vacation. Do we go simple or extravagant, kick back or active??? And let’s face it, each option has a price tag associated with it. Deciding what kind of vacation to go on can be confusing, frustrating and sometimes cause an argument between you and your loved one. Keep your Money Relationship headed in the right direction and follow these points to decide what kind of get-away will be best for your family this year:
- Each of the 5 Money Personalities looks at vacations differently – Be sure to know what Money Personalities are inside of your family and treat yourself to… [more...]
- Try a “stay-cation” – You could always be a “tourist in your own town”. Turn off the ringer, don’t worry about… [more...]
- Start planning now – Get your vacation on the calendar, make a reservation, arrange to take the time off… [more...]
Read the complete Money Couple Minute here.
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: financial communication, flyer, money huddle, money personalities, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender, summer vacation plans, vacation
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Monday, April 23rd, 2012
We all know the importance of a good spring clean of your home – you know… take everything out of your closets, clean, reorganize and put it back together all neat and tidy. But many of us don’t ever consider a “spring cleaning” of our finances. Whether you are a Saver, Spender, Risk Taker, Security Seeker, or Flyer, we all like the smell of a nice clean house – we suggest cleaning your “financial house” together, here’s how:
- Dedicate a day: Your house takes a day to spring clean, so does your finances. Put the date on the calendar and if you’re married do it together! [more...]
- Decide which rooms are going to get cleaned: Receipts, Debts, Insurance, Taxes, Investments… [more...]
- Empty the closets: Get all of your statements and documents pulled together. Get all of your receipts, insurance statements, tax returns, investment statements… [more...]
- Put everything back in to place:
Receipts – clear the clutter
Debts – shop for lower interest rates
Insurance – coverage is what you want [more...]
Read the complete Money Couple Minute here.
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: financial communication, flyer, money huddle, money personalities, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender, spring cleaning
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Tuesday, March 27th, 2012
More than half of all Americans will get a tax refund this year. According to the IRS the average refund last year was around $3000, that money can make a significant difference in your financial picture and unfortunately, we have found, come between you and your spouse. This money decision, like every other money decision, calls for Money Relationship intentionality. As a couple, once you know what your refund will be, think twice about what you will do with the money and how it can affect your Money Relationship. Here are three tips to help get you and your spouse on the same tax refund page:
- Do the sensible thing. – The Saver and the Security Seeker in the relationship will be all about paying off the debt, saving the money for retirement, and adding to the emergency fund. The Spenders, Flyers, and Risk Takers might not be quite as excited about paying debt, but will think it is a great time to do the home improvements they have been talking about or paying for the vacation that is long past due. It is important that you compromise and make sure each money personality is heard and respected!!!
- Invest in yourself and your relationship! – With these surprise dollars it is a great time to invest in yourself and your relationships. Join a gym and pay for a year in advance to get the weight loss that you have been talking about. Take a vacation getaway for two or do a marriage workshop! Buy a tank of gas for a friend. Take some time at your next Money Huddle and dream about something fun to do for your family, yourself or each other.
- Recalibrate your withholdings. – A tax refund is an interest free loan to the government. Most couples can use some extra money during the month. Take a look at your overall picture and see if there is a way to recalibrate your holdings for next year. It is always a good idea to contact your CPA or Tax Preparer before you pull the trigger with your payroll department.
We are launching brand new content on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to “like” and “follow” us today.
Make It Happen!
Scott and Bethany Palmer
The Money Couple
Tags: financial communication, flyer, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender, tax refund
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off
Monday, February 27th, 2012
How much do we tip? Why should we tip when they are just “doing their job”? Why does it feel like we are tipping every time we go out?
These and many other questions come up when we are talking about the gratuities’ tip. Here are 4 ideas that will give “tipping together” a whole new meaning:
- Define tipping – Tips are given to people in the service industry. Often times tips are the employees [more...]
- Go in to your service with a plan – After a service is complete, whether it is getting our dog groomed [more...]
- Identify your approach – Decide how much you want to tip to each category of service. If they do a stellar job [more...]
- “Tip Together” – As we have discovered, not everyone has the same philosophy when it comes to tipping. Make [more...]
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Click here for a Convenient “Tipping Together” List!
Tags: financial communication, flyer, gift spending, money communication, money fights, money huddle, money personalities, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender, Tipping for services
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Monday, January 30th, 2012
The party is over and now the bills are rolling in. A recent poll cites that Americans spent 548 billion dollars during the holidays (Answers.com). How do you recover and get 2012 off to a great start? Here are three tips to get you and your budget back on track:
- Add it up! – This is no time to wimp out or stick your head in the sand. Pull all of your statements together [more...]
- Get Strategic. – Figure out what you need to start paying off first. It is tempting to pay the lowest balance first. [more...]
- Work as a team! – If you are married, be sure to agree on your approach. Couples that agree on how to approach and tackle holiday debt together get their debt paid off [more...]
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Tags: Christmas spending, dealing with debt, financial communication, financial relationship, flyer, holiday spending, love and money, money communication, money huddle, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
You have been dating and are starting to be filled with hope and excitement as you think about your future together. Where would you live, what kind of family would you have, what kind of adventures would you experience, and how would you handle your money as a couple.
If one of those things doesn’t seem to fit with the others, well, you’re not alone. We find that in all the fun and emotion of dating, money conversations often get left out. And we get that – talking about money doesn’t seem very romantic.
According to a recent survey by Country Financial, 49% of couples do not talk about money before they are married. Since money affects every aspect of your relationship, learn your money compatibility early on.
Here is how to have your first Money talk:
- Discover and reveal your Money Personality. – Money affects every aspect of a relationship. Early in your relationship, you need to understand your… [more...]
- Identify their response. – If the response is negative – red flag, red flag, red flag. For example: [more...]
- Discover their Money Personality. – Ask yourself, “Is this a Money Personality I can live with for… [more...]
Discovering more about the person you are dating will help you decide if you want to pursue this relationship or not. As you talk about your Money Personalities, you might find this money conversation can be a little more romantic than you thought.
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: dating, financial communication, flyer, love and money, money communication, money fights, money personalities, money relationship, money talk, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011
Seriously? The Money Couple says, “Take a Financial Holiday”? That doesn’t mean throw all reason out the window but we know this time of year can be stressful… let’s face it , ALL of the 5 Money Personalities™ find stress around this time of year:
Savers stress because the savings are dwindling,
Spenders are going crazy with the gift giving,
Risk Takers are “going for it”,
Security Seekers are holding on to their lists; and
Flyers, well, the gift giving isn’t on the radar quite yet
So together take a financial holiday, kick your feet up and enjoy the reason for the season!! That’s right, the Money Couple just told you not to think about money. We recognize that it’s not easy to stop thinking about your finances during what is often the most expensive season of the year. But spending energy talking about money right now will only take away from what should be a peaceful, joyful time filled with family and friends. Here’s how to let go of the stress and enjoy your holidays:
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: Christmas spending, financial communication, financial relationship, flyer, gift spending, holiday spending, love and money, money communication, money fights, money huddle, money personalities, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Monday, December 5th, 2011
The holiday season brings with it beloved traditions, joyous memories, and happy moments with friends and family. And plenty of good old-fashioned financial stress!
For so many couples, the holidays are a minefield of difficult money decisions. How do we stick to a budget and still give meaningful gifts? Do we really need to buy a gift for Great Aunt Martha? Where are we going to get the money to pay for all of this stuff? With so many money-based decisions coming in the midst of all the other stressors of the holiday season, it’s more important than ever that your money communication stays strong.
Start this holiday season with a Money Huddle to check in on expectations and create a spending plan that won’t leave you broke come January. Here’s what you need to cover:
- Money Personalities: The holidays bring out the strengths and challenges of every Money Personality. [more...]
- The Gift List: Work together to figure out who you need to buy for. If money is tight this year, consider [more...]
- Spending limits: Before you set foot in a store or do any online shopping, know what you can spend [more...]
- Timing: Last-minute shopping usually leads to overspending. If you haven’t already, start [more...]
- Check-ins: Plan on weekly Money Huddles to make sure you’re staying on track. [more...]
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: Christmas spending, financial communication, flyer, gift spending, holiday giving ideas, holiday spending, love and money, money communication, money huddle, money personalities, money relationship, overspending at holidays, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
| Don’t miss the “Love & Money Conference” – November 11 & 12!
Click here to hear a radio promo.
Click here to read an article about the conference.
Click here to get more information. |
Money affects just about every decision you make together. Helping your Money Relationship by improving your credit score is what we want to focus on in this Money Couple Minute. Your credit score is an important part of your financial picture and having a bad one can cause a lot of tension in your Money Relationship. So here are 5 tips to get your credit score back on track:
- Start as a united front. – You have to be on the same page as a couple to make this score go up. [more...]
- See what is real! – What is your score and how bad is it. This is not a time to point fingers or blame. [more...]
- Pay your bills on time!!! – You have to show consistency to bring the score up. Working on this as a couple will jump start the improvement. [more...]
- Pay them down as much as you can. – The more credit available the better your score. Pay your credit cards off but keep the credit lines open. [more...]
- Don’t cancel them as soon as you pay them off. – Often the Security Seeker in the relationship will want to [more...]
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: credit score, financial communication, financial relationship, flyer, love and money, money communication, money personalities, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
More money does not equal more happiness in your relationship as stated in a recent
study. It is important to look at the bigger picture when it comes to your relationship and
money. Most of us assume that our budget, retirement plan, and cash flow work sheet will give us a happy relationship when in order and plenty. However, we have found this is clearly not the case.
Your views on money impact every decision you make as a couple from the big stuff like houses and cars to the mundane details like the kind of coffee you drink and the brand of shoes you wear. If you communicate about these decisions well, you have a good “Money Relationship”. If you argue and bicker about these decisions, you have a bad “Money Relationship”. We’re talking about something that goes far beyond your checkbook or bank balance. We’re talking about the way each of you think about and deal with money. Every person has a distinct way of thinking about and dealing with money. And in a relationship, those distinctions can be the difference between being on the same page about financial issues and having money be a constant source of conflict. That’s why when couples ask us how to build a strong “Money Relationship”, the first thing we tell them is to figure out their Money Personalities.
[Read the Complete Money Couple Minute HERE]
Make it Happen!
The Money Couple
Scott & Bethany Palmer
Tags: financial communication, financial relationship, flyer, love and money, money communication, money huddle, money personalities, money relationship, risk taker, saver, security seeker, spender
Posted in The Money Couple Posts | Comments Off
