Financial planning is one of the things that can make or break a marriage. If you have just gotten hitched, you may find it difficult to figure out where to start, when it comes to managing the finances. Do not fret. Check out some of these finance tips for newly married husbands.
1. Discuss openly
It is vital for you to discuss your financial matters openly. If you have any anxieties or if you are planning to make a big purchase, you must take the opinion of your better half. This will help you get a different perspective and will strengthen the bond that the two of you have.
2. Set a budget together
Since both of you will be doing the spending in the house, it is only fair that you mutually decide upon a budget. Take into account your recurring expenses and all other major and minor ones. Neither of you should feel that their needs are being compromised.
3. Make sure you stick to the budget
Setting a budget is just the beginning. It is of extreme importance that you stick to the budget that you have fixed. Chart your expenses and every other day make a note of your spending using an online budget calculator. You could sit together on a weekly basis and see if you are able to keep things under the budget or not.
4. Review your budget periodically
Always keep in mind that the limit that you set today would not be enough year down the line. So, make sure you are open to making some changes to the budget based on the rising costs and responsibilities.
5. Buy a house
If you are planning to buy a house, then experts suggest that the overall house payments should not more than 25 percent of your take-home pay. Also, if you are unsure about your job security, then you can bring that limit down to 15 percent.
6. Save for the future
No matter how well you are currently doing in terms of finances, you must always save 10-15 percent of your income for the post-retirement phase. When setting a budget, take into account the money that you are left with, after you put the set percentage into savings. This will ensure that you both are financially secure in your old age and do not have to be dependent on anyone.
7. Have an emergency fund
Even though you are young, tragedy can hit you any time. You must always have some ready cash as your emergency fund. In case you, your family, or your loved ones are ever faced with a crisis situation, you will be able to help them instantly, without it affecting your budget.
8. Get insured
This may be a sour topic but it is of great importance and is the most practical thing to do. Having a term life insurance is your way of insuring that your loved ones or your spouse does not face a financial crisis in case something happens to you. When you imagine your future together, it is important to make sure that you equip your loved ones to be financial secure even when you are not around.
9. Take calculated risks
Being young, you might be tempted to take big risks and have an aggressive investment portfolio. However, it is not very advisable to bet it all on something as volatile as the stock market. It is important that you take inputs from a financial planner to ensure that you have a diversified portfolio. If you are a day trader, make sure you have a strict dollar cap on your investment.
10. Stay out of debt
No one wants to be under any kind of debt, yet you end up with a debt. In order to make sure that you ditch the debt as early as possible, reduce the total number of cards you both have and pay off your credit-card debt. Start with the ones having the highest interest rate. Do not indulge in luxurious spending unless you know that you can pay in cash.
11. Have a separate/joint account
Whether to have separate accounts or a joint account or both, is an important decision that you need to make. You could probably have a joint account to manage the shared household expenses and separate accounts for your individual spending. This will completely depend on how comfortable and efficient you are when it comes to managing your individual money.
1. Discuss openly
It is vital for you to discuss your financial matters openly. If you have any anxieties or if you are planning to make a big purchase, you must take the opinion of your better half. This will help you get a different perspective and will strengthen the bond that the two of you have.
2. Set a budget together
Since both of you will be doing the spending in the house, it is only fair that you mutually decide upon a budget. Take into account your recurring expenses and all other major and minor ones. Neither of you should feel that their needs are being compromised.
3. Make sure you stick to the budget
Setting a budget is just the beginning. It is of extreme importance that you stick to the budget that you have fixed. Chart your expenses and every other day make a note of your spending using an online budget calculator. You could sit together on a weekly basis and see if you are able to keep things under the budget or not.
4. Review your budget periodically
Always keep in mind that the limit that you set today would not be enough year down the line. So, make sure you are open to making some changes to the budget based on the rising costs and responsibilities.
5. Buy a house
If you are planning to buy a house, then experts suggest that the overall house payments should not more than 25 percent of your take-home pay. Also, if you are unsure about your job security, then you can bring that limit down to 15 percent.
6. Save for the future
No matter how well you are currently doing in terms of finances, you must always save 10-15 percent of your income for the post-retirement phase. When setting a budget, take into account the money that you are left with, after you put the set percentage into savings. This will ensure that you both are financially secure in your old age and do not have to be dependent on anyone.
7. Have an emergency fund
Even though you are young, tragedy can hit you any time. You must always have some ready cash as your emergency fund. In case you, your family, or your loved ones are ever faced with a crisis situation, you will be able to help them instantly, without it affecting your budget.
8. Get insured
This may be a sour topic but it is of great importance and is the most practical thing to do. Having a term life insurance is your way of insuring that your loved ones or your spouse does not face a financial crisis in case something happens to you. When you imagine your future together, it is important to make sure that you equip your loved ones to be financial secure even when you are not around.
9. Take calculated risks
Being young, you might be tempted to take big risks and have an aggressive investment portfolio. However, it is not very advisable to bet it all on something as volatile as the stock market. It is important that you take inputs from a financial planner to ensure that you have a diversified portfolio. If you are a day trader, make sure you have a strict dollar cap on your investment.
10. Stay out of debt
No one wants to be under any kind of debt, yet you end up with a debt. In order to make sure that you ditch the debt as early as possible, reduce the total number of cards you both have and pay off your credit-card debt. Start with the ones having the highest interest rate. Do not indulge in luxurious spending unless you know that you can pay in cash.
11. Have a separate/joint account
Whether to have separate accounts or a joint account or both, is an important decision that you need to make. You could probably have a joint account to manage the shared household expenses and separate accounts for your individual spending. This will completely depend on how comfortable and efficient you are when it comes to managing your individual money.
