You must have experienced many phases when you have felt like talking to your friends, family or significant other about your financial condition in order to seek a solution to your current problems – for instance, accepting a job offer with less money, investing in a bad investment, being unable to save money, and so on.
It is not just you. In fact, every one of us has come across a situation when we desperately want to talk about money but do not because of shame, anxiety, embarrassment, and fear of the impression that people would frame about us.
People are more liberal in talking about other personal subjects, but they are extremely shy to talk about money, and one of the reasons is that they do not want to face reality. Over 2,000 British adults, according to a survey, reported that money worries were the significant reason for marital strife.
One in five of that hung blame on their partners for overspending or failing to budget properly. Borrowing is not a bad thing as long as you have a repaying capacity, but a large number of people end up taking out bad credit loans with no guarantor needed because of overspending and this results in a debt trap.
How money conversations can help take better control over your finances
Money has become a taboo; nobody wants to talk about it, and everybody has their own reasons for avoiding this subject. Avoiding talking about money can prevent you from taking better control over your finances regardless of your marital status, and therefore it is crucial to talk about money.
1. Identify when it is the right time to talk about it
When you are good, you feel good. Likewise, when you have money to cover all of your regular expenses, have contributed to an emergency cushion, and have some leftover cash to spare, your mind is at peace.
However, when your outgoings are more than your incomings, you will likely be anxious, and in order to meet your essential expenses, you may take out instant funding loans. You are already struggling to pay back your bills, and borrowing money will be another turn of a screw.
When your current financial situation forces you to make irrational decisions, you should immediately talk to someone. In order to come around others for the discussion, you should start with subtle questions like:
- Rate your mental health relationship with money on a scale of one to 10
- How do you feel about your financial condition?
- How have you been tracking your goals?
Asking these questions will help you strike a conversation around money, and you will get answers to your problems.
2. Openly talk about salaries
It is often not considered professional to talk about salaries with your colleagues. If your workplace environment is too formal, you will not be able to discuss it, but employees do not mind talking about it in a casual environment.
However, talking to your colleagues about wages may not solve your problem. You are not supposed to chat about money simply. Your ultimate purpose is to improve your financial life by knowing specific suggestions in a conversation.
When you start your career, you do not have a clue about the salary you deserve. As a result, you may be ready to work for low wages. It is vital to note that this will have a compound effect. When you switch companies, your salaries will be determined based on your current one and then so on. If you calculate the loss in the compounding effect, it can be beyond your imagination.
You should try to get an insight into the salary a candidate can be offered applying for your role. Talk to your mentors. They will likely help you with it. Learn additional skills if you need to get the desired salary. Though it is assumed that salaries are offered based on industry trends, the fact is they are offered based on your skills.
If you are present on a social networking site, try to join a community of professionals working in the same field. They can tell you about the salary you should ask for because they have knowledge about the current trends. Do not fight the shyness of interacting with people. You will gain an insight into the industry trends.
3. Discuss living cost
It may seem like you are being inquisitive to ask about the cost of living of others, but sometimes asking questions can help you take charge of your money. However, you will ask those people these questions who know you and you are bound by a casual relationship. Try to ask the following questions:
- How much does your rent account for your income?
- How much money do you spend on utility bills?
- Are there any methods you have used to whittle down your expenses?
Answers to these questions may vary by people because other factors like the size of the family affect the expenditure limit. Make sure that you do not ask questions in a way that they feel like you are interviewing them. Incorporate your information related to expenses as well so they feel like it is just a normal conversation.
4. Break your fear of sharing a recent mistake
This kind of conversation you can strike with a person you trust. There are specific issues that you can discuss with your parents but not even with your best friend. For instance, if you have made a recent mistake, you may not be able to talk about it with your friends but try to talk with your parents about it.
It is imperative to admit if you have made a financial mistake and you do not commit it again. For instance, if you have lost your job and taken out a loan to tide over until you land another job. You eventually discover that you are having difficulty keeping up with it as it is taking a bit longer time to get a new job.
Not taking help when you need it most will cause wreak havoc on your financial health. Most of the time, you hesitate to talk about your concerns because you are afraid and embarrassed, but this, unfortunately, results in more problems. Many marriages break apart because of the same reasons. To avoid conflicts, you decide to leave the subject, and things become worse down the line.
The bottom line
Money talk is intrinsic as it will help control your finances better. You should stop being embarrassed if you have made inevitable mistakes while managing your finances. If you have a financial problem, you should immediately find out the ways to address them and talking is the best way.
It is essential to discuss problems before they become bigger. Discuss them with your significant other, parents or friends. The key to breaking the money taboos is that you should strike up a conversation when you find your finances are in trouble.
Do not ignore the importance of talking about money. Some ways have been mentioned above to strike a conversation about money. This will not just help you but that person as well.
