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9 February 2024
These conversations frequently cause feelings like embarrassment and regret that can create tension in relationships and potentially affect your wellbeing. But what if we suggested that your debt could serve as a pathway to discovering opportunities and realising your financial aspirations?
Perhaps it’s time for you to reassess your approach to financial conversations within your relationship. Sanlam Credit Solutions presents an innovative platform: a personal dashboard enabling you to view your credit rating and get free support in overseeing your credit. You can also use the Sanlam Credit Solutions dashboard as a financial conversation starter with your partner.
To get you started, we have unpacked four different topics that could be used as conversation starters, and that will help you manoeuvre through what sometimes feels like an overwhelming and complex task – a financial conversation with your other half.
Your credit score goes beyond being a just a number; it mirrors your financial wellbeing. So, what does this score signify? Simply put, it’s a number or percentage that indicates how well you have handled credit and is calculated based on:
Now, to get the conversation going, how about a little game? Take a stab at estimating your partner's credit score and financial status:
It's not about precision but about sparking conversation. Grasping each other's financial circumstances is a big step towards fostering trust and openness in your relationship.
Tip: Knowing your credit score is good, but understanding it is better. Register for your Sanlam Credit Profile and speak to a credit management coach who will help you make sense of your score and get you on a better track.
The next step to keep the conversation going is to pause and reflect on past financial habits and consider what you could each do to improve your financial wellbeing over time.
Here are some interesting discussion points to keep the momentum going:
A sensitive topic, and one that often leads to blame and feelings of guilt, is your spending behaviour. So, instead of avoiding it, place it next on your list for discussion.
It’s time to engage in a conversation about your financial tendencies and the driving forces behind each of your spending behaviours.
Explore this:
Now, if you have made it this far, explore your aspirations for the future when it comes to finances as a couple or a family.
Consider how you are going to prepare so that you can pursue your combined or individual goals.
Reflect on the idea of "yours, mine, and ours" in managing money. Are combined accounts preferable, or do you lean towards keeping finances separate?
Discuss the significance of readiness for unforeseen circumstances, such as loss and financial obligations.
Tip: Sanlam Confidence Rule #7 reminds us that there are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. Set your goals and celebrate your little wins, milestone achievements, and progress as a couple.
Use the Sanlam Credit Solutions dashboard as your financial vision board and to keep you both accountable to yourselves and each other.
Remember, fostering financial closeness entails more than just crunching numbers; it involves trust, openness, and shared objectives. So, take the initiative to initiate discussions that pave the way for a financially healthier and happier future together.