For Richer or Poorer

For Richer or Poorer

5 Smart Ways to Save as a Couple

We all know that money is tight right now because of the global and economic crisis. With the global economy struggling amid massive recent changes, you will probably want to save every cent you can for a rainy day.

Inflation, soaring interest rates, stagnated salaries, and a high standard of living contribute to increased financial pressure for couples in every corner of the world. Now more than ever, creating a strict budget can help you manage your finances wisely.

No one can deny the crucial role financial security plays in our daily lives; no matter whether we are single, in a new relationship, engaged, or married and raising a family.

Research has shown time and time again that today’s young couples find it more challenging to set aside money compared to couples from previous generations. The modern financial system simply does not operate in the same way as it did decades ago—but that does not mean you have to miss out on important milestones like marriage, raising a family, and saving for your retirement.

So that you and your partner can enjoy financial security without having to sacrifice life’s little luxuries, we outlined here our five top ways to save money as a couple.

#1: Draw Up a Joint Budget with Your Partner

Creating a detailed budget is the key to managing your money effectively. Sit down with your partner and determine exactly how much you need to spend in order to survive every month. From there, you can allocate a reasonable budget for each person according to your individual and collective earnings.

It may surprise you how easily you will resist unnecessary purchases once you have a clear picture of how much you can reasonably spend on non-necessities each week!

Your budget will help you both to reduce excess spending and encourage you to think twice before pulling out your credit card to buy yet another pair of designer jeans or a shiny new technological toy. Maybe that brand-new, tempting iPhone model should wait until next quarter…

#2: Keep Track of Your Spending

Once you have established a budget, you will need to keep track of every dollar you spend.

You need to monitor every purchase, from groceries and medication to gas, car repairs, entertainment costs, and impulse buys. Write down absolutely everything you spend money on and allocate a specific place in your home or your wallet for receipts.

Add your receipts to those of your partner at the end of every week and calculate exactly how much you spend every month. Seeing everything right in front of you makes deciding where to cut costs much easier. For those of you who lose receipts, it might be wise to download an app that allows you to enter how much you spent, where you spent it, as well as when you spent it.

#3: Develop a Joint Savings Plan

That rainy day nest egg will not set itself aside! Set a savings target, and work towards it together.

Sit down with your partner and discuss creating a realistic and actionable savings plan. Financial experts recommend putting away at least 20% of your monthly salary into a savings account—but if you cannot manage that, then anything you can put away will help, no matter how small.

You do not have to save the same amount every month either, as long as you make saving a habit. If you or your partner receive a bonus, or you have a side hustle that is becoming successful, add a little extra to your account. This will balance out the leaner months.

#4: Create an Emergency Fund and Pay Off Your Debts

As you and your partner embark on your future together, you will probably face several financial challenges. If you are still engaged, there’s no time like the present to build an emergency fund and pay off pressing debts.

To build your savings, set aside a portion of your earnings each month. Aim to have between 3 and 6 months’ worth of monthly expenses in your emergency fund, available at a moment’s notice. This money will help you address unexpected costs or unanticipated situations like job loss or sudden illness.

If you have debt, consider addressing this too. Non-profit debt relief services like Money Fit can help you pay off your balances in affordable, easy-to-make payments without loans and over-limit fees.

Few things can burden a relationship as much as debt-related stress. If you can clear your debt, you will set your partnership and future up for financial success.

#5: Discuss Your Finances Regularly

You and your partner should ideally have your financial goals, ambitions, and priorities aligned before you tie the knot.

With that said, your discussions about money should not end there.

Make it a priority to discuss your finances honestly at regular intervals, once a month, once a quarter, or even once a year.

Use these discussions as a tool to consider where you stand financially. Are you on the path to meeting your goals? Does your budget need an overhaul? Do you have any important monetary concerns that you need to broach?

Drawing up a regular schedule will make it easier to stay on the same page, even if these discussions are stressful at times.

Final Thoughts

Money issues add unnecessary stress and strain to your relationship, whether you are married, engaged, or simply living together. Ensure that you and your partner have your financial priorities aligned by budgeting carefully, paying off high-interest debts, and having frequent discussions about financial matters.

If you can plan and save diligently, you will avoid plenty of financial arguments and anxiety-inducing economic obstacles later down the line.

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  1. Services: DRS provides the following housing-related services: counseling that includes Homeless Assistance, Rental Topics, Pre-purchase/Homebuying, and Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase); Education courses that include Financial literacy (including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding use of credit), Predatory lending, loan scam or other fraud prevention, Fair housing, Rental topics, Pre-purchase homebuyer education, Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop (including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners), and other workshops not listed above.

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Disclosure to Client for HUD Housing Counseling Services

Debt Reduction Services, Inc. and its financial education arm, Money Fit by DRS, offer the following housing counseling and educational services related to housing, personal finance, and bankruptcy certificates to consumers:
  • Housing Education Courses: DRS offers many online self-guided education programs classified as Financial, Budgeting, and Credit Workshops (FBC), Fair Housing Pre-Purchase Education Workshops (FHW), Homelessness Prevention Workshops (HMW), Non-Delinquency Post Purchase Workshops (NDW), Predatory Lending Education Workshops (PLW), Pre-purchase Homebuyer Education Workshops (PPW), and Rental Housing Workshops (RHW). These courses help participants increase their knowledge of and skills in personal finance, including home affordability, budgeting, and understanding the use of credit, as well as predatory lending, loan scams, and other fraud prevention topics, fair housing, rental topics, pre-purchase homebuyer education, non-delinquency post-purchase topics including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners, homeless prevention workshop, and other workshops not listed above relating to personal finance and housing. Course details are found below under “Housing Workshops.”
  • Home Equity Conversation Mortgage (HECM) Counseling (RMC): Via telephone and virtual platforms, we offer the required HECM counseling nationwide in addition to in-person counseling in Boise, Idaho. We also offer in-home counseling options in thirty counties across southern Idaho for an additional fee to cover our travel and additional staff time costs.
  • Home Maintenance and Financial Management for Homeowners (Non-Delinquency Post-Purchase) (FBC): Clients receive counseling and materials on the proper maintenance of their home and mortgage refinancing. Clients can find help and resources by phone, in our Boise office, or virtually on all topics related to stabilizing their long-term homeownership.
  • Services for Homeless Counseling (HMC): Clients receive phone, virtual, or in-person (Boise) counseling to evaluate their current housing needs, identify barriers to and goals for housing stability, establish a path to self-sufficiency, and connect with emergency shelters, income-appropriate housing, and/or other community resources (e.g. mental healthcare, job training, transportation, etc.).
  • Pre-Purchase Counseling (PPC): Clients receive counseling through the entire homebuying process. Assistance may involve creating a sustainable household budget, understanding mortgage options, building their credit rating, and putting together a realistic action plan to set and achieve homeownership goals.  Additionally, clients will receive materials and resources about home inspections and other homeownership topics relevant to successfully maintaining a home.
  • Rental Housing Counseling (RHC): Via phone, in-person appointments (Boise, ID), or virtual platforms, clients receive housing counseling relevant to renting, including rent subsidies from HUD or other government and assistance programs. Topics can also address issues and concerns having to do with fair housing, landlord and tenant laws, lease terms, rent delinquency, household budgeting, and finding alternate housing.
DRS also offers the following services:
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Through such services, DRS has established financial relationships with hundreds of banks, credit unions, and creditors such as American Express, Bank of America, Barclays, Capital One, Chase, Citibank, Credit One, Discover, Synchrony, US Bank, USAA, Wells Fargo, and others.

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The client is not obligated to receive, purchase or utilize any other services offered by DRS or its exclusive partners to receive financial education or housing counseling services. Alternatives: As a condition of our counseling services, in alignment with meeting our client services goals, and in compliance with HUD’s Housing Counseling Program requirements, we may provide information on alternative services, programs, and products available to you, if applicable and known by our staff. Alternative DMP services include negotiating better repayment terms directly with your individual creditors, paying your debts as agreed, or, in extreme cases, filing for personal bankruptcy. Alternative credit and education services can be found through MyMoney.gov or the Jump$tart Clearinghouse of online financial education resources. Housing counseling alternatives can be found through HUD at www.hud.gov/findacounselor.
Finally, you understand that you may revoke consent to these disclosures by notifying DRS in writing.

Housing Counseling and Education Fee Schedule

 

Online Education Program Fees*

Homebuyer Education Course: $59 per participant

  • Self-paced course available here, our online housing counseling and education center. Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)

RentalFair HousingPredatory Lending / HOEPAPost-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant

  • Approximately 1 hour each

Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. creditbudgetinghomeless preventiondebt prevention): $0

One-on-one Counseling Fees*

Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management: $75

  • Session by the hour

Reverse Mortgage/HECM Counseling with Required Certificate:

  • $200†

Credit Report Fee: Paid Directly by Client

*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid online by debit card, credit card, or PayPal or in person by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of an in-person course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferable

*Fees may be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page

†Home visit counseling is available in 30 southern Idaho counties for potential HECM borrowers at additional costs to cover our travel (IRS reimbursement rates apply) and staff time ($50 per hour or fraction there).

Housing Counseling and Education Fee Schedule

 

Online Education Program Fees*

Homebuyer Education Course: $59 per participant

  • Self-paced course available here, our online housing counseling and education center. Certificates will be automatically generated upon completion of the course (approximately 6-8 hours)

RentalFair HousingPredatory Lending / HOEPAPost-Purchase (Non-delinquency post-purchase workshop, including home maintenance and/or financial management for homeowners) Online Workshops: $49 per participant

  • Approximately 1 hour each

Other Self-Guided Financial Literacy Webinars (e.g. creditbudgetinghomeless preventiondebt prevention): $0

One-on-one Counseling Fees*

Pre-purchase Homebuying Counseling, Rental Counseling, Post-purchase Ownership Maintenance and Financial Management: $75

  • Session by the hour

Reverse Mortgage/HECM Counseling with Required Certificate:

  • $200†

Credit Report Fee: Paid Directly by Client

*Fees for all but our online education courses and workshops can be paid online by debit card, credit card, or PayPal or in person by cash, check or money order to: “Debt Reduction Services, Inc.” Registration fees are non-refundable 24 hours or less before the start of an in-person course or workshop. Certificates are non-transferable

*Fees may be waived for households with income of 150% or less of that identified on the US Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines Page

†Home visit counseling is available in 30 southern Idaho counties for potential HECM borrowers at additional costs to cover our travel (IRS reimbursement rates apply) and staff time ($50 per hour or fraction there).