Take the time to ask your loved one how they derive joy from money.
Valentine’s Day, which falls in the cold month of February, could be less about romance and more about happiness. Instead of cards and boxes of chocolates, maybe this year you and your significant other can spend some time talking about how you each derive joy from your money.
Here is how to start: get two notecards and write the following on the first one: “Imagine we have all the money we will ever need now and in the future. What would you want us to do with it? How would we live our lives? What would we change?”
Then, on the second one, write: “What is really important to you?” Then wrap each notecard in a small box and present them to your Valentine. Be sure you present them when you have time to talk – not hastily before you run errands or at the start of your day. The key is to have uninterrupted time to listen and hear the answers.
Your Valentine Goal
The goal is to gain a better understanding of how your loved one views getting the wealth you both want and also how they want it to enrich your lives emotionally. Make note of where your dreams overlap and where they diverge. You may find it’s not as simple as – rich equals happiness and poor equals misery.
Some other worthwhile outcomes might be:
- Appreciating what you both have;
- Deciding to remove the bad behavior that prevents you from obtaining what you both need; and
- Revamping any skewed mindset that might be preventing you both from attaining true happiness.
Financial Planning & Counseling
Our Wealth Advisors often counsel couples that differ in their approach to money. One may be financially cautious and the other more carefree. By taking them through Riskalyze, we can quantify the disparities in their levels of risk tolerance. Most importantly, they engage in active listening to learn about their (possibly differing) ideas on savings and spending habits, how they want to enjoy their money and when/where they plan to retire. This understanding helps to create a strategy that considers both their values and financial goals.
You probably already know that spending money on material goods doesn’t provide anywhere near the satisfaction that experiences do. Not all experiences come with a high price tag. Financial confidence can bring happiness, but only if you listen and see what is truly important.
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