What is the #1 thing couples argue about on Valentine’s Day?

Or any other day for that matter…

If you guess money, you are right.

Would you like a way to avoid those fights? Then have the difficult, but well worthwhile “talk”.

Here are a few bullet points to start:

* Do you really know how much each other is spending on lunch out, tickets to the basketball game, clothing?

* Do either of you have a credit card that carries debt the other doesn’t know about?

* Do you both feel you are contributing to, and taking fairly from, the household income?

* What are your financial goals for 5, 10 and 25 years from now?

Is it your dream to take a trip to Europe together? Could you cut down on incidentals so that you can buy that car that you both really want?

All of these questions are easily solvable, but not if you don’t talk about them. Particularly in a time when each person in the partnership may earn his or her own money and feels entitled to enjoy the rewards, joint financial goals can be difficult to negotiate.

This is a great article I ran across on why money matters so much. My Wife and I never discussed money before getting married – and ended up $52,000 in debt.

Maybe save the talk ’til Monday and have a Happy Valentine’s Day,