The National Retail Federation expects Americans to spend record-breaking amounts on Valentine's Day this year—how much exactly, you ask?
Searching for the perfect gift for your man, but on a tight budget? No worries – here at How to Get the Man of Your Dreams.com, we surveyed our team of Relationship Coaches, who are all male, for gifts they’d love to receive - that cost little to no money. With a little creativity and effort, you can create a lasting impression on the man of your dreams.
"People killin', people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them cryin' Can you practice what you preach And would you turn the other cheek…" -Black Eyed Peas "Where is the Love?" (2003) My most vivid memories of 9/11 were of the phone calls I heard on the news made during the tragic last moments of people's lives. Their final acts were desperate attempts to communicate the love they felt for their partners, their children and their families. The love they felt was all they had to say.
We know the importance of discussing sex before we hop into bed. But money? Oh, no. talking about money with a potential life partner can feel much more embarrassing—and threatening—than a rundown of our sexual history.
If you feel like you're dating your financial opposite, you're probably right. It turns out we gravitate towards romantic partners with conflicting money attitudes to help balance our own tendencies.
Does holiday shopping & spending stress you out? A few years ago I stopped doing the holidays. My corporate job had me on a plane every 3 to 4 days. My daily work hours were in the double-digits, and the mere thought of picking out - let alone sending - holiday cards was enough to throw me into tears. Shopping for presents... forgetaboutit. I didn't have the emotional energy to face the crowds and stores.
Five differences you may share with your significant other that don't have to be dealbreakers. Different music taste, intellectual tastes, friend tastes, spending/saving tastes and style tastes.
Money may be the root of all evil, but spending differences don't necessarily kill a relationship. Researchers have discovered that cheapskates and spendthrifts have an affinity for each other. Even so, marriages between the two have some rocky moments while they feel each other out financially.
"Eventually, money affects every part of a romantic relationship. Where you live, where you eat, where you vacation, where your kids go to school and what car you drop them off in," says Bethany Palmer of The Money Couple who wrote, First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage. The tricky part is knowing at what point financial matters should enter your relationship and how to bring up money matters.
Poll: Which Financial Issue Damages Your Relationship?: Job loss/layoff. Mortgage/rent payments. Credit card debt. All of the above.
Poll: Are Your Spending Styles In Sync?: We are totally in sync. We've worked out a financial plan and we stick to it. We both spend what we want. Not really an issue as long as we each don’t go overboard. One of us is spender, the other is a saver. I'm not saying who is who! Money is an issue for us, and I think it's hiding deeper problems.
