How do you deal with money issues in a marriage? They come whether you are rich or poor. As with everything else in marriage, God has money and marriage tips in the Bible! Today Susan Nelson will share 8 ways to fix money issues in marriage God’s way!
8 Ways to Fix Money Issues in Marriage God’s Way
There is hope when you don’t agree on finances and have money issues in marriage.
You may wonder ‘How can financial problems affect a marriage? ‘.
In the history of marriage, few topics have induced more divorces than money. Financial problems cause divorce as few other problems can.
Many things create financial stress in a relationship.
- The spouses may fight over how money is spent.
- They may fight over poor past financial decisions (which may continue to affect them)
- Perhaps they fight over one partner not remembering to write down transactions in the register.
Let’s face it. We can’t avoid money being a topic in marriage, but we can avoid it being the topic that brings a marriage to its knees.
Whether we are blessed with a little money or a lot, it is our responsibility to be good stewards of it.
So, what if you are in a marriage where this isn’t the case? Or, perhaps, one of you is good with money and the other isn’t?
No matter how bleak the situation may look, there is hope when you don’t agree on finances.
If you and your spouse are fighting regularly about finances, it may be time to commit to doing things differently.
Ask your spouse commit to financial change by starting with these 8 key principles to fix money issues in marriage God’s way.
Let’s face it. We can’t avoid money being a topic in marriage, but we can avoid it being the topic that brings a marriage to its knees. So commit today to these 8 key principles to fix money issues in marriage! Share on X
1. Pray about Money Issues in Marriage
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Pray! EVERY SINGLE THING in your life should be laid at His feet including money, where it comes from and how you are to manage it.
Some of the best marriage financial counseling I (Susan Nelson of A Woman of Noble Character) can share is ‘Marriage is a three-cord strand: husband, wife and God.’ If you aren’t talking about money with ALL THREE persons in the marriage, there are sure to be money issues in marriage.
Be sure to follow the entire series on the Hope For Marriage Event Page.
2. Be transparent
Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.
Be transparent.
- Don’t hide purchases from each other
- Don’t have separate bank accounts.
Both make it easy to be dishonest and avoid confrontation without getting to the root of money issues in marriage. These two problems lead to bigger problems than just divorce for financial reasons. Separate bank accounts may also contribute to additional sin knowing that the other would never know how you spent your money.
Marriage is a three-cord strand: husband, wife and God. If you aren’t talking about money with ALL THREE persons in the marriage, there are sure to be money issues in marriage. Share on X3. Create a budget together and stick with it
Luke 14:28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?
Create a budget together and stick with it. Be strict when it comes to following your budget and never spend outside of the budget without your spouse’s agreement.
This will require setting biblical priorities and having difficult conversations.
Also, track your progress and monitor your budget regularly – don’t wait until the month is over to see that you have spent double for dining out than your budget allowed. Instead, have weekly check-ins to ensure you are staying on track and making corrections BEFORE you overspend to fix money issues in marriage.
Have weekly check-ins to ensure you are staying on track and making corrections BEFORE you overspend to fix money issues in marriage. Share on X4. Decide on rules for how money is spent in your home
Luke 14:31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
Decide on rules for how money is spent in your home. In our home, any purchase over $100 requires both of use to agree. The dollar amount may be higher or lower for you, but, if you set the rules ahead of time, you’ll be less likely to fight later about how money is spent.
Other rules might include:
- Tithing (a non-negotiable in our home)
- How much of a deposit to put down on large purchases
- What percentage of income goes to savings
- Etc.
5. Consult the ultimate guide on money: The Holy Bible
Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Consult the ultimate guide on money: The Holy Bible to fix money issues in marriage. Seriously, google “Scripture on finances in the Bible”. The bible contains 2350 verses about money! In fact, FIFTEEN percent of the words Jesus spoke were about money matters! The Bible includes financial instructions for nearly every situation:
- Borrowing money
- Lending money
- How to spend it
- Saving it
- And so much more.
6. Dream and plan together
Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
What are the most common problems in marriage? One is that couples stop dreaming together. Dream and plan together!
When both husband and wife “buy into” a dream and know the steps they need to take in order to achieve that dream, the more likely they are to stick to the “plan”. If the spouses can’t agree on goals, then financial harmony isn’t likely to come easy and you will struggle forunity in marriage*.
2 Resources From A Woman of Noble Character To Help Your Marriage
The God Centered Marriage: Honoring Him Through your Marriage by Susan Nelson
- The God Centered Marriage is more than an eloquently written overview on putting God at the center of your marriage. It is a how-to manual with action steps, journal questions, Scripture references, prayers for specific areas of your marriage and resources for deeper study.
The Complete Proverbs 31 Woman: A verse-by-verse practical look at the Proverbs 31 woman in today’s world
- In our modern society, many scoff at the idea of the Proverbs 31 woman. They say that it does not relate to women today. I wholeheartedly disagree. The Proverbs 31 wife is alive, well, and living in your city or town. She is the one who has a three-cord strand marriage with God at the center. As we go, verse by verse through Proverbs 31:10-31, it is my desire that you find the Proverbs 31 woman within you.
7. When all else fails, seek professional help
Proverbs 11:14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.
When all else fails, seek professional help. This is NOT giving up! It is honoring God! Seek a respected Christian financial expert, marriage financial counseling or perhaps your pastor (most money issues in marriage are a result of poor communication over anything else.)
8. A note on Tithing
2 Corinthian 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
If the unbelieving spouse is the wife, as the leader of his home, the husband is to obey the Lord’s direction.
If both spouses are Christians, they know that giving God the first tenth is commanded in the Bible. Tithing is God-ordained and our first priority should be pleasing Him.
If you are married to an unbeliever, this area is a bit more tricky, but the wife is to submit to her husband in order to lead him to the Lord.
There is Hope for Marriage with Money Issues in Marriage
There is hope for marriage when you don’t agree on finances. You only need to agree on ONE thing: to commit to making changes by following God’s plan for managing money. Which of these 8 ways to fix money issues in marriage God’s way can you implement today?
- Pray
- Be transparent
- Budget
- Decide on rules
- Consult the Bible
- Dream together
- Seek Help
- Understand tithing
In addition to the basic principles above, In addition, I highly recommend that both spouses complete a Bible study or course on managing money biblically such as Money and Marriage God’s Way or Financial Peace along with an independent study on biblical financial principles.
If you are feeling without hope in regarding to money in your marriage, know that there is hope and that I am praying for you!
Because of Him,
I’m Sue Nelson, a Christian author, speaker and creative who has a passion for helping others grow closer to Christ in their marriages, homes, and Bible study time. I’d love to connect with you at A Woman of Noble Character.
If you enjoyed this you would also love:
- How to Fast and Pray in a Way that Pleases God
- Why Pray to God My Provider
- How to Pray to God My Provider
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I love tools that strengthen marriages! Money is a challenging subject for sure, and your first tip hit home for me: PRAY about money. YES! Thank you for this gentle instruction to help my marriage!
So glad it blessed you, Rebecca. Praying over you today!
I’m so glad to hear that! With everything, our first plan of action should be giving it to the Lord. God bless you, sister!
This is so amazingly helpful!! Money is such a big issue in so many marriages and Christians are not immune to it!! Thank you so much for this and thank you for linking up @worthbeyondrubies
Yes, money issues in marriage come up over the years. So thankful God gives us guidance 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Diane.
Yes! So many marriages struggle when it comes to money. It’s a huge area of contention. Thanks for stopping by, my friend!
I am rather late in commenting but I am now tour blog. I am rather alarmed at the financial advice given out by Christian women, its usually submit to your husbands (which is biblical) and have joint accounts. Unfortunately not all Christian marriages are healthy or godly. There are many marriages where the husband is very manipulative and deceptive and and don’t bother saving money for the future. Imagine a wife’s position if all she has is a joint account. The husband can easily steal money from the joint account and leave the wife dry in case of a divorce.
We should encourage women to be financially independent and have a nest egg for herself and her children in case the worst happens. This is not unscriptural, as the reality these days are escalating divorces and abuse within the marriage. I speak from experience. I let my husband access my salary account in the name of submission and respect but over the course of our 20 year marriage, he has been siphoning money from the account and refuses to give an account of monies spent. When God showed me what was happening, I secretly started saving money for the future and my child. My husband has had illicit relationships with other women and has even used my money on his girlfriend. When I confronted him. he proceeded to yell at me. Now I am confident that even if he leaves us, I can still support my child and me.
Please stop telling women to have joint accounts. The usual basis for this seems to be “that the two shall become one”. If becoming one meant joint account, then husbands and wives should have same hobbies, eat the same food, not have their own friends, drive the same car and so on. Joint account promotes abuse and usually women are at the losing ends.
Steph
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I agree that in difficult marriages it is wise to have separate financials but in healthy marriages, there is no need for that. Having said that, I have known situations, where good turned to bad and wives, were held almost captive because they had no access to their finances. Each situation must be reviewed individually though, I couldn’t put a blanket statement out… Thanks for bringing this point up though, Steph. There is much wisdom in what you say.