Raise your hand if you have ever purchased something and then hidden it from your significant other — don’t be shy! My hand is up because I’m guilty. As a matter of fact, I’ve done it many times, and I’m sure most of you reading this have hidden purchases too.
As women, we are the masters of camouflage when it comes to purchases we know our significant other might question. From leaving purchases in the trunks of our car to sneaking them into the house in discreet bags to acting like we’ve always had them — “You mean this old thing?” — we do camouflage exceptionally well.
Men, for the most part, are more open about their purchases than we are. My husband, for example, has no issues telling me what he’s bought or plans to buy.
Over the last few years, I’ve made some behavior changes, and I am now proud to say that I no longer hide purchases from my husband. Discover how you can break the camouflage cycle, too.
1. Talk about the things you want to buy
If you want something, talk about it. It’s that simple. Talk about why you want it, what you need to do to get it and make your significant other aware you’re thinking about it.
2. Have a splurge account
Set up a place where you can save money for the things you want to buy — and let your significant other know it exists. Talk about how much you’ve saved, how you plan to save, how long it will take you and when you intend to make your purchase.
3. Ask their opinion
Ask your significant other what he or she thinks about the purchase you’d like to make. If they hate it, perhaps you can reconsider it. Maybe their reasons for thinking it’s a bad idea actually make sense, and you change your mind about the purchase. If they aren’t bothered by it, you can continue to with your shopping plan.
4. Prioritize — and tell them your priorities
Talk about your life and financial goals. Those goals may not be directly in relation to the purchase you want to make. However, if a goal is not on track, your purchase should get put on hold.
Doing these simple things will help you make your purchases guilt-free — no more hiding shopping bags in the car or putting packages in the corner of your garage.
Money can cause serious issues in any relationship — it’s the number one reason for divorce today —and the one way to avoid having money issues is to be open and honest with your significant other. In the grand scheme of your relationship, hiding irrelevant purchases from your spouse can cause arguments and lead to bigger issues, and shopping just isn’t worth it.
Jump start your journey to improving your personal finances. Stop by CleverGirlFinance.com to get your free guide, 3 Tools to Streamline Your Finances, today.
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