date money

Marriage is no joke. If you think that the hard part of a marriage is preparing for the wedding, then you are seriously mistaken. That’s just a tip of the iceberg!

Let’s talk money. Money can ruin the happiest relationships around. While you might consider yourself not at all that materialistic, money issues somehow creep into the marriage. So before pushing forward on the wedding preps, couples should really talk about money, and debts too! Couples should decide on where their money will go, how to spend it, and who will handle it. In our case, since I’m very lousy managing finances, I let my wife do the budgeting. Every payday, we combine our salaries. Then, we list down expenses like rent, utilities (water, electricity, phone, etc.), grocery, savings, payday loans, etc.

I think it’s important that couples set aside a date money, like we do. That way, we can go on dates without ruining our budget. A friend told me that couples should go on dates at least twice a month. Sometimes, with all the complexities of married life, couples tend to drift apart and forget to nurture each other. And a having a constant date is a great way to relive the experience when they were still dating. It doesn’t need to be a fancy restaurant. We sometimes spend our date money going to Ruins at night in BF Homes or grabbing some kaya toast at Kopi Roti for breakfast. And it need not be a huge amount, just enough so you can both relax and enjoy.

Photos are those of Tagaytay Highlands, specifically Plantation Hills (top, left) and The Spa and Lodge (bottom).