How To Manage Your Marriage Like A Budget

It might sound at first like someone who approaches marriage like a budget is being too cold and caculated.  In reality, if you look at a relationship logically as give and take just as you look at a budget in terms of deposits and withdrawals, you can balance the relationship well and have more peaks and fewer valleys.

I once heard a pastor talking about a relationship being much like a bank account. He said that you make deposits and withdrawals in the relationship. Do something good or sweet and you've got yourself a bit of extra love and affection. Do something "not so" nice and that's a withdrawal.

Here are some examples:

Write a  love letter? Deposit
Arrange a romantic evening? Deposit
The interest rate or dividend? Happiness, sex, intimacy. ..

Make a judgemental or grumpy remark? Withdrawal
Forget a birthday or anniversary? Withdrawal

It got me thinking...if you do too much in terms of withdrawals, you might find yourself in OVERDRAFT ! Once you get into overdraft you might need some marriage counselling (sort of like budget counselling) in order to save yourself from a bankrupt relationship (that could end in filing for divorce)

So, manage your relationship a lot like your budget. Put time and effort into planning the relationship much like a budget and think long and hard before making any big decisions that could impact that relationship. Just like you'd go to a financial planner for a big decision, set up family meetings for big decisions.

Much like a bank account that gets regular savings deposits, a relationship that is nurtured will also grow and sustain you.  Just like you get helps and tips to make solid financial decisions, you might decide to do the same with your relationship. Whether you're in stages of difficulty or just not feeling very much right now, it's almost never too late to reignite some sparks.  Checking out a helpful relationship guide for more information is a great idea and the next time you spend time with your spouse or significant other, decide to make a sizeable deposit in the relationship bank!