Use the Weekly "Money Huddle" to Clarify Family Finances

While lack of communication on family finances is not unusual, there is a way to improve this situation.  Money Mastery teaches couples to hold a weekly “money huddle.”  This is where both husband and wife sit down together and share what happened during the week with their spending, to discuss future spending decisions and possible upcoming expenses and to plan for the coming week.  Often, one or the other will spend more than what was available or more than what was decided upon.  So the need to practice “instant forgiveness” is the key to an effective money huddle, and I may add, a happy marriage!
Let’s take the example of an earthquake registering 7.2 on the Richter Scale.  Charles Francis Richter developed this measuring device to show how severe the earth movement was below the ground.  As we all know from experience, 7.2 can be a devastating earthquake.  It brings down buildings and kills people, whereas a 2.1 earthquake on the Richter Scale may not even be felt.  If we apply this measuring devise to family finances, isn’t it better to have a 2.1 discussion, than an all out war at 7.3?  To keep 7.3 money arguments from happening, meet weekly and discuss concerns and problems and make adjustments, but most importantly, practice instant forgiveness.  Forgiveness
means to not only ask for help, but to forget quickly the mistake your partner made. Remember, you may be the one who needs forgiveness the following week!
Now I want to say that no one is perfect, we all make mistakes.  We all bring a lifetime of living into a marriage. With our experiences come habits, whether good or bad and since we all leave everything we have in the form of money and assets when we die, why should we allow money issues to harm, or foul relationships while on this earth?
Money Mastery teaches the fundamental practice of the weekly money huddle, which includes practicing “instant forgiveness.” This is a powerful concept that you will not understand until you try it. I challenge you to set a specific time each week to hold this meeting with your spouse. The meeting need not be long, between 15 and 30 minutes. Hold it at the same time and the same place each week, and be sure never to huddle on money in the bedroom!