Is your spouse taking advantage of you financially?

Since marriage entails some level of joint financial responsibility and accountability, it is necessary that people are transparent to their significant other. Many a times money issues cause strains in marital relationships and due to variance in values spouses may not be at par in savings, spending habits and making financial decisions. This can lead to financial bullying where one spouse may always want to play smart, hide financial details from the other, try to control, and manipulate the other’s savings and earnings.

People make comments like “women refers to their husband’s money as ‘our money’ and her money as ‘my money’”, this can bet apply to either men or women. Some people can become unreasonably hostile to their spouse when they are not able to manipulate them. Some may make purchases on credit expecting their spouse to make the payment, others may just be unreasonable in their spendings while others may want their spouse to support their unreasonable expensive life style or be in for trouble. If you find yourself in this situation the way out is to let them know your values, state it clearly to them that manipulation should not be used to get money from people, explain to them that they dont need to break the bank to be happy and encourage them to be financially responsible.

Spell out financial responsibilities and agree on who is to be responsible for what in the house, ensuring that they don’t evade responsibility, shifting it to you. Talk to them about their spending habit and see how to help them out, they may have misplaced priority or may be suffering from low self esteem. Let them know that life does not consist of the abundance of things they possess. Talk to them about their life style of indebtedness and encourage them to turn a new leaf. You must learn never to rescue them for repeatedly plunging in to debt. You should allow them carry their cross if indebtedness has become part of them to help them to be financially responsible and accountable and save yourself the troubles