The Great Couple Debate – And How to Resolve It

by Angie Carlson |

One of the biggest debates I see for couples is this:
Do we spend our money on things or experiences?

How do we break the tie of 1-1 in our relationship?

Because both have their merits, like y’all shared yesterday.

● I’m at the point where I’d rather spend $5,000 on a window that I sit by every day, and that will keep the UV rays and heat out than $5,000 for a temporary experience that I might forget about in a few years.

● There are too many people who see “things” as a mark of success, however I truly believe that experience and learning from failures is the real mark of success.

● Experiences!! Lessons and learning opportunities come with experiences!!

Here’s the thing – you BOTH are right.
(Which doesn’t help break that tie.)

What’s missing is how the thing or experience lines up with your shared vision.

Because neither of you want ALL things and ALL experiences.

You both want that thing or experience important to YOU.

So here are some questions to consider about the things in your relationship:

● What can be used over and over again?

● Do we need a reminder of this event or milestone in our life?

● How much stuff do we want in our house?

And also the experiences:

● What type of memories do we want to create?

● What experiences will deepen our relationship?

● Is there a significant upfront investment?

The final question to ask for both is:
Will this (thing/experience) accelerate our progress to reach our financial goals?

Here’s the thing (pun intended): Making these decisions together will strengthen your relationship.

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