5 Tips to Getting Your SO On Board with Your Financially Fit Journey
You’ve finally had enough of being broke and overspending and are ready to get financially fit. There’s just one problem. Bae isn’t on board. Let’s be real, getting financially fit requires some changes and when you must do things differently, not everyone in life will be as thrilled about it as you. But your relationship can have a huge impact on your journey so how do you get your SO on board? Here are five tips for getting your significant other on board with your financially fit journey.
1. Focus on the goals
The first thing you want to do is to sit down with your SO and talk about your financial goals. Do it on a weekend, with some time set aside, in a relaxed environment. You don’t want to do it right after work or when you’re rushed. Have the conversation and make it all about your goals.
That way, there’s no blame and shame, but you’re simply stating your goals. Use phrases like “I want...” or “My goal is….” so that your partner knows where you’re coming from and knows exactly what you want.
So for example, you might say, “I want to pay off my debt by the end of the year. To do that, I need to pay $X per month toward debt, which will require some changes.”
If you’re in the dating phase, these goals might be personal and you want to state them so that your SO can be on board and not derail your progress too much.
If you’re more serious, live together or are married, these might be shared goals and may require more navigating. The key is to start the conversation and focus on the goals, not the behaviors. You don’t want to have any blame, shame, or feelings of resentment come up either for you or them.
2. Inspire them with your dreams
If you tell your partner, “We can’t ever go out to eat again!” they’re likely not going to be super happy with your financial journey. But if you say, “I want us to travel to Italy for the holidays. How about we cut back on eating out so we can plan for that?” it will likely be better received.
Lead with your big audacious dreams, then reverse engineer it and find out what you need to do to achieve those goals.
It can feel restrictive or be off-putting if you initially start off with all the things you can’t do, or things you need to change, etc. But starting out inspiring your SO with your dreams can help them see your vision for your life and get them to understand the behavioral shifts that will inevitably come next.
3. Know each other’s strengths
If you want to get your SO on board with your financial journey, then it’s important to know each other’s strengths. For example, if your partner hates looking at the numbers then you’re likely going to need to be the master budgeter.
If you’re not a great cook but your partner should be on a reality cooking show, then they can help with more meals.
Figure out your strengths and weaknesses and know how to tackle your goals together. Working off each other’s strengths will make the whole process a lot easier and more peaceful, without fighting a ton about money.
4. Frugal hack your non-negotiables
Here at The Financial Gym, we believe in knowing what your “sacred cows” are. Those are items in your budget that are non-negotiable. In your relationship, this might be a weekly date night or be a yearly vacation. Understand what is a non-negotiable in your relationship and work to frugal hack it.
So instead of going out for a wine and cheese night, go to Trader Joe’s and pick up some baguette, brie, and wine for $20 or less. Use cash back apps like Drop, Pei, and EBates. Score discounted gift cards at CardPool and hack your credit card rewards to lower costs.
The key is to lower costs where you can with a little creativity so you can keep the stuff you absolutely aren’t willing to give up in your budget.
5. Make it fun
Your SO can be your accountability buddy if done right. Or they can seriously derail you, too. In order to make them your accountability buddy, make it fun! You guys can “compete” on savings or debt-payoff goals. You can create mini-rewards systems along the way, so after every $1,000 paid off or saved, you can unlock a small reward.
You can also create free “coupons” in your relationship to help each other and keep you motivated. So for example, a coupon for you to agree to make dinner one night, or a massage after a long week of work and side hustling. The point is to be each other’s cheerleader and make it fun along the way.
Get started
Getting your SO on board with your financial journey can be tough. Making change is never easy but it’s not impossible. Using these five tips, you can get bae on board and level up your finances.
Want to get started on your financially fit journey? Click here to schedule a FREE 20-minute consult call with a member of our team. We meet with both individuals and couples.