5 Quick & Easy Financial Tips For Couples Getting Out of Debt

By Fawn Weaver on Wednesday, July 3, 2013

5 Quick and Easy Financial Tips for Couples in Debt

When I wrote the post on my #1 financial tip for couples on a budget on Monday, I didn’t expect such a large reception.  

More than 10,000 new visitors stopped by that day to give it a read, and a countless number of visitors couldn’t access it because the large spike in traffic at certain times caused our server to crash ten times.  Yes, 10x. 

It was then I realized how many couples reading HappyWivesClub.com are in need of help in this area.  

Several years ago, my husband and I made some drastic changes to pull ourselves out of debt – as quickly and easily as possible.  We now know firsthand the freedom that comes as a result of removing that huge pile of bricks (aka debt) off our shoulders.

There are so lessons we learned throughout that journey and these are our top five:

1. Team up.  Getting on the same page could quite possibly be the single most important tip to getting your finances on track as quickly as possible.  Strong couples look at debt as a financial challenger (rather than a challenge) and join forces to defeat it.

2. Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover.  I’m not an affiliate for this program, I’ve never met the author, and gain nothing by endorsing it.  The reason I suggest it is it works!  

This is the program Keith and I used and it is what helped us get on the same page with our finances immediately.

We followed the author’s step-by-step instructions and pulled out of debt much faster than we ever thought possible.  This morning, I found the book on sale for $1.99 (99% off) at Barnes & Noble online.

3. Divide your spending into categories for greater oversight.  There are a number of ways to do this.  In our household, my husband and I use a monthly allowance system and each takes responsibility for capping certain expenses.  You can read here for our exact system.

4. Give.  It’s a fascinating thing.  When people get in a financial rut, one of the first things they often stop doing is giving.  That is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.  No matter your religion or faith, giving is a principle that simply works.  From books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad to the Millionaire Next Door, business and financial experts all include this as a pivotal ingredient in their recipe for financial success.

5. Make gratitude a part of your daily life.  If you’re reading this on a computer or a smart phone, there’s a great likelihood you’re within the top 10% of wealthiest people in the world.  Keeping this perspective will help you appreciate what you have and that appreciation opens up the gateways of your mind.

It’s not always about getting another job, or working harder, sometimes the answer rests in allowing our minds to be as free as possible to come up with the solutions we need.  And scientists have proven, time and time again, that gratitude and focusing on the positive is one of the fastest ways to achieve success.  

If you have 12 minutes to spare (or if not, consider fast forwarding to the 9-minute mark), here’s a video I’ve personally sent to my closest friends and family that explains why this adjustment could very well be the missing variable in your financial health equation.

QUESTION: What other financial tips for couples would you add to this list?

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

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Fawn Weaver is the USA Today® and New York Times® bestselling author of Happy Wives Club: One Woman's Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage, adopting the same name as the Club she founded in 2010. The Happy Wives Club community has grown to include more than 900,000 women in over 110 countries around the world. When she’s not blogging or working on her next project, she's happily doting over her husband of nearly eleven years, Keith.

 

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  • http://www.toodarnhappy.com/ Kim Hall

    I second your recommendation for Total Money Makeover-it is truly life-changing. We started there and moved on to take Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, an in-person weekly class that goes into depth in different areas of personal finance. And, no, you never, ever, ever have to share your personal financial information with the class.

    I think sitting down and actually listing all your outgo—bills, expenses, and debts—is a critical step towards getting out of debt. We were such ostriches! We didn’t know how much outgo there was compared to the income and were actually afraid to find out. Once you have that list you can create a budget where you spend less then you are making.

    • Fawn @ Happy Wives Club

      Us too! Absolute ostriches! Great advice, Kim. Thanks!

  • http://amberlyandjoe.blogspot.com/ Amberly

    Love this! And I recommend TMM and Dave Ramsey all over the place, especially on my blog and receive nothing either. It’s amazing, I think it should be a required textbook in school along with his FPU. More and more people are being affected by his program and I think it’s awesome! :)

    • Fawn @ Happy Wives Club

      You and me both, Amberly! TMM as required reading in school would certainly help the current generation not get into the pickles we got into because we didn’t know any better. Our children have the ability to be better equipped financially because they have better information – thank goodness!

      • http://amberlyandjoe.blogspot.com/ Amberly

        Exactly! TMM is so common sense that it’s easy. And it clears up a lot of the myths/rumors that go around about money, debt, credit cards, etc. I really love it! I can guarantee that my husband will have our kids do the FPU junior or whatever. He’s the Dave Ramsey obsessed one in our relationship and he’s been teaching me! We paid off three debts last year and now we’re using the envelope system for our spending money to be able to save better! I LOVE your money posts. I actually have a little series on my blog that I just started a few months ago called Marriage & Money because I love to share what works for us and our little “tricks” http://www.lifewithamberlyandjoe.com/search/label/marriage%20and%20money

  • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

    These are great tips Fawn.

    I’d like to add something on Giving.

    Sometimes we think giving has to be monetary. Nonetheless a couple who are in hard financial times, who do not have any money to give away at the beginning, might have to think widely and creatively when it comes to giving. Think about skills, expertise, time, a smile, a shoulder to cry on, a welcoming home, a gift item from what you already have, e.t.c. Early in marriage, we were flat broke and had no money to give away. But i had clothes and time; and that’s what i gave away over a season of time. This is a great build-up and practice, not just when there’s no money, but also when the money comes!
    Awesome tips and post, as always!

    • Fawn @ Happy Wives Club

      Such a great addition, Ngina! This is so true. We all have something to give and giving opens up our hearts to being more grateful which, in turn, opens up the gateways of our mind. Love that!

  • AlohaHarleySMG

    That video clip was FANTASTIC! Thank you for sharing!!!

    • Fawn @ Happy Wives Club

      Oh, so happy you watched it! I’m actually in the middle of reading his book, The Happiness Advantage, and the scientific studies behind what he talks about on this video are absolutely mind blowing.

  • Esther

    I started listening to Dave Ramsey on the radio while driving to my part time job, back in 2009. We are now debt free, living on cash only, taking 1-2 nice vacations a year ( family of 4). We’ve had to teach our children that until we get out of debt we will only be spending money on our “needs” not “wants”. Eating out saved us a bunch, as well as entertainment ( movies). Couponing for me was an eye opener to how much $ I’ve been throwing down the drain and what I could be saving.

    • Fawn @ Happy Wives Club

      That is AWESOME! I need to get better about couponing. I know there is so much savings there and I’ve never done it. My friend, Crystal Paine, over at moneysavingmom.com has made of living out of finding these sorts of deals. BUT, I am happy to say we have a similar experience with you and Dave Ramsey and have been debt-free for many years now. Freedom!

  • http://www.unknownmami.com/ unknownmami

    Must follow good advice.

  • http://freshstartsolutions.com.au/ Fresh Start Solutions

    Very good insights and useful tips here. Thank you for sharing a great financial tips.

    • http://www.happywivesclub.com/ Fawn @ Happy Wives Club

      Awesome. Thanks!

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