How a Bad Economy Can Be Good for Your Marriage

EVEN IN GOOD TIMES, money issues can put an awful strain on a marriage. In especially difficult times like these, with paychecks shrinking (or vanishing) and investments cratering, men could be excused for thinking that money might take an even more damaging toll on married life.

That's not necessarily true. So says Scott Haltzman, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University and co-author of The Secrets of Happily Married Men: Eight Ways to Win Your Wife's Heart Forever. He says it's possible to play the recession to your advantage, at least on the home front.

"Recessions force you to reassess your values and take a look at what's important in your marriage," says Dr. Haltzman. "It gives you permission to sit down and talk about priorities, including spending priorities. When you're talking about money, you're actually talking about values."
 
If you really need to cut back on spending, Dr. Haltzman says it's best for guys to make the first move. Like maybe you could cancel that subscription to Sports Illustrated or pack your lunch instead of dropping $10 a day at your favorite deli. Once you've shown your own willingness to cut back, you can sit down with your wife to talk about where she can cut back. Whatever you do, don't pressure her on specifics. Ask where she might retrench, but let her decide what she can give up-and what's not up for discussion.
 
The recession talk is also a great opportunity for men to open up emotionally-something most women relish, says Dr. Haltzman. "Her radar will go up because she loves when you talk about your emotions," he says.

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Helen19
Posts: 1

Reply #1 on : Tue February 09, 2010, 18:48:57

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