Talking about money is hard. Do it anyway.

Here’s a tough question:

Is it hard for you to talk about money with your spouse or partner?

For most people, the answer is “YES!”

She spent too much.

He spent too much.

Was it aligned with our values?

What are our values?

It’s challenging for us to talk about money. Not just with each other, but with our parents, our children, even our siblings and friends.

And you know what? That’s OK.

This, my friends, is one of the keys to talking about money: knowing that it’s going to be hard. Sometimes, it’s going to be painful. And that’s OK.

Talking about money may not be necessary for all couples. If you’re one of those rare people, great! More power to you. But I doubt that is the case for the vast majority.

My own experience is that talking about money is unavoidable. Like taking out the trash and doing the laundry, it’s just one of those things that has to happen.

And if that rings true, then you really have just two options:

1. You can end your relationship with someone, and then you won’t have to talk about money with them ever again.
2. You can keep trying.

My advice?

Keep trying.