Need a few tips to keep one of the biggest stressors in marriage at bay? I’m not a financial advisor, but I do want to give you a few tips to guide you and your spouse through this uncharted season.

Welcome to the Soul Family LIVE Show & Podcast! I’m your host Sinikka & and if you haven’t heard our FREE 3-Day Forever I Choose You Devo is here! I created this 3-day digital devotional as a significant tool to walk you and your beloved through what these words mean to me, and serve as a tool to remind you and your beloved to continue to say, “Forever, I choose you.” Find it in the shop!

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Episode 17: 4 Tips To Manage Financial Stress In Marriage

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Finances are one of the top frustrations in a relationship, with COVID-19 in full swing, this could become the biggest tension creator in your marriage.

I am not a financial strategist, and I do not know everything, BUT I want to attempt to arm you with 3 tactics you and your spouse can implement to be a financial team during this unchartered season, because I want you to lean on each other and stay united during this tough time.

Finances are tighter than usual these days, my husband changed industries from accounting to sales, and is working his way up in a new career. As a stay-at-home mom, I’m personally unable to take as many weddings.

Now with COVID-19 rampant and the cancellation of events, there may be many weddings cancelled or rescheduled in the next 8 weeks, which are prime time for weddings. With less money coming home, we have been working through what makes sense for us to do with our finances both personally and professionally 

1. Create a home structure 

   • The best way to bring productivity and centeredness to a time with so much uncertainty is to give yourself structure & rhythm in your day. We are getting up when we get up, eating breakfast, reading our little kids devo, then working out. After that, it’s inside play time while Dad works, then snack time for all of us. Dad goes back to work and Johnny & Mommy get creative before lunch, and then Johnny naps – which is when Mom starts working and Dad works out & eats lunch. After Johnny wakes up, it’s snack time, outside time, bath time, intentional development activity time, and dinner time with Dad before getting ready for bed.

   • Our home structure allows for me to have 2 hours of uninterrupted time even with everyone home. That also gives me space to figure out what to do with all these uncharted waters. It also allows me to move my body, eat well, and get fresh air! 

2. Don’t allow fear to command your finances (Watch this Chris Hogan video to give you full access to the three tips below. Thank you to the Dave Ramsey Team that we highly recommend asking financial questions to!)

   • Go back & understand your family goals 

   • Remember the process (investments need time to grow)

   • Revisit the budget or investment plan you’ve created

     • If you find yourselves unable to meet your budgetary needs and have eliminated all unnecessary spending (outside of items like food, rent, utilities), it’s time to…

3. Create a family plan (After creating a home structure, you will have the objectivity to sit down with your spouse and together create a plan that works day by day for you both as you wade in financial uncertainty. Remember you are in this together. Be open-minded as you create your family plan.)

   • Consider swapping / bartering with those nearby for childcare, meals, even showering if needed!

   • Consider picking up free meals in your area, schools are offering meals for kids, Salvation Army is offering food for seniors at specific locations, food banks, food pantries like Gleaners and the Merciful HELP Center are great options

     • The Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund will provide grants to human services organizations in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion and Morgan counties – so there will be help for food from organizations too! (https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/41892621/united-way-unveils-relief-fund-for-coronavirus)

   • Consider experimenting with alternative ways to make money online (blogging, social media management, virtual assisting – like managing inboxes – for influencers / online educators. There are avenues of the online world that are still fully functioning, and there may be potential to use your skills within them

   • Consider talking with your landlord, utility company, internet company, etc, about extending bill pay deadlines

   • If it applies, consider a small business loan or re-financing your home as rates are extremely low for both right now to make things a bit easier! A small business loan is something I am personally considering.

4. Surround yourself with scripture, Christian music, and truth from the Lord (let your mindset be turned to trust even when you don’t see the next step, this is especially helpful to do as a married couple in uncertain times where financial stress or burden is concerned)

   • Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?”

   • “I could sing of your love forever” cedarmont kids

   • “He’s got the whole world” wee sing (my current favorite kids songs we’ve been playing)

Reflection Questions: Here is what I want you to think through this week!

• How are you and your spouse going to set up your personal home structure in this new season? 

• What will your family’s financial plan for this time be? 

• What scripture will you post up on your fridge to meditate on this week?

There is little that we are able to control right now, but the control that we do have is over the way that we communicate with each other during this tense time and the way we plan – together with our spouse as a financial team with an open mind. Put your heads together this week and work through what you may be able to do to alleviate the financial stress and burden you may experience over the next 8 weeks.

More than anything, I pray you lean into each other, give one another huge amounts of grace as you work through financial options during this time, and reach out to those around you. 

Quick stop, if you want a deeper reflection from me in regards to COVID-19 and how to keep close to your spouse this week, sign up to join The Soul Family Insider’s List, whose link is in the notes!  http://eepurl.com/c7rxJb

Friend, you’ve got this, and even more – God’s got this. Get out there and hug the one person you chose to be with forever, through the good times and hard times. Praying you have a peace-filled day!