You’ll double the chances of success when you work together as a team. Any lifestyle change, especially one related to getting out of debt needs mutual goals, accountability and support. Here is why working together will help you save money.
Mutual Goals
You have a mutual goal of getting out of debt, that is great! Believe it or not, just agreeing on this point means that you are already halfway there. Some couples or families say they want to get out of debt but may not make the commitment.
Now, you just need to break this down to specifics. Decide which debts you will pay off first, then second. When and how do you think you will be able to pay off this debt? For example, you may have a goal of paying off the house early by adding an extra $100 a month to the mortgage that you might have used to eat out. Or you may decide to downgrade your vacation this year and use that money in one lump sum to reduce what you owe on your car by half.
Accountability
It is vital that you work together and keep each other accountable while striving for your goals. Have regular budget meetings to keep on track. Establish guidelines on spending. For example, if you have mutually established a clothing budget of $50 for the month, you would have some explaining to do to your spouse or partner if you decide that you just had buy $200 worth of outfits. Being accountable to each other means that you are more likely to reach your getting out of debt goals.
Support
Let’s face it, just because the sacrifices that you are making to get out of debt are noble and will pay off in the long run, doesn’t mean that they still don’t feel like sacrifices. Having that built in mutual support system in place can really help. Usually, only one person in the team gets frugal fatigue at a time, meaning that the other person can step in as support and be the cheerleader. Plus working together on worthy goals can bring you closer together.
Do you have a get out of debt goal? Is your spouse, partner or family also on board?
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Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, and offers advice in several other professional blogs. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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