What Can You Do When Your Parents Have Money Troubles?

Money is a sensitive topic for many families. Discussing the financial troubles of your parents can leave them in a vulnerable and fearful state, understandably so. Additionally, your parents may feel that their spending and saving decisions are theirs alone.

People are less transparent when it comes to their financial problems, and this makes things more complicated. Try to help your parents explore their options while maintaining your financial responsibilities to yourself and your family. Consider these tips.

#1: ASSESS THE SITUATION

Start by evaluating your parents’ current financial situation. Have an honest discussion with them about the issues that they are having or expecting. You can either help your parents in monetary or non-monetary support. The best approach will depend on where your parents are now and where they want to be in the future. Seeking professional help can help with the facilitation of the money conversations.

#2: HELP YOUR PARENTS DOWNSIZE

Whether your parents are living in a place that is no longer affordable or are planning to cut down on certain expenses, help them to downsize. Run the numbers on the possible housing options and determine how much they would save over time. The analysis should include their mortgage, moving costs, and other housing-related fees.

#3: ASK THEM TO MOVE IN

If your parents cannot afford to live independently anymore and you can take them in, you can consider asking them to move in. Assess their health and the other members of your household to determine whether they can live with you. Taking in your parents can have a significant impact on their finances as it will free them from rental payments and housing bills.

#4: CREATE THEIR REALISTIC BUDGET

Are your parents seeking ways to stretch their cash? Sit down together and draft a realistic budget that factors in their income and expenses every month. If their income is less than their expenses or if they are breaking even, look for areas where they can earn more or spend less. The goal is for them to live more comfortably.

#5: HELP WITH MAINTENANCE OR REPAIRS

Some financial needs are short-term. If your parents need help with home or car repairs, you can offer help for them occasionally.

#6: BOOST THEIR INCOME

Is your organization looking for part-timers? You can recommend it to your parents. Taking on a part-time job or working from home can help your parents bring in more money. Help strengthen their social ties and encourage them to try new things to achieve financial growth.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1 & 2

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5 Money Conversations to Have Before Getting Married

Getting married changes your financial life in significant ways. Not only are you opening your doors to someone or sharing your expenses, but you are also opening yourself to legal changes. While your credit score remains individualized, your future choices could be changed by what your spouse brings into the table.

#1: MONEY BELIEFS

Does your partner value money? You will get information about your partner by how they manage financial successes and setbacks.

Talking about your financial problems can reveal how you fix and learn from your mistakes. Hearing about your spouse’s successes can also reveal how he or she works toward achieving goals.

#2: FINANCIAL BACKGROUNDS

Many financial beliefs and habits are developed in childhood and carried over into adulthood. Hearing about your financial histories can pinpoint underlying patterns.

You can build a foundation of mutual understanding about your financial backgrounds as time passes. It is important to gain clarity on why the other does what they do with their money.

#3: JOINT ACCOUNTS

Should you combine bank accounts when getting married? Or shall you have separate accounts and income streams?

You can either split the bills and expenses or divide it based on each other’s income. Maintaining separate accounts can be possible while having a joint checking account to cover shared costs such as your monthly utility bills.

#4: FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

As a team, you need to work out how you will divide the financial responsibilities. If your partner is more analytical, he or she can research on retirement investing options. Set your roles regularly and give feedback.

Do not forget to check in before making major purchases and increase your communication when there is a change in cash flow.

#5: OTHER OBLIGATIONS

Do you have other financial obligations such as running a business or supporting your sibling? The whole picture of a person’s financial circumstance cannot always be captured by personal net worth.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Thus, you must disclose and discuss other financial obligations you each may have. Remember – you are a team!

Sources: 1 & 2

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Reasons why you should reconsider that office romance

office romance

Many individuals meet their spouses at work, however, at the same time, seeing someone you met at the office can be considered taboo. But what if you’ve been flirting with a coworker and want to pursue a further relationship?

Well, you spend a lot of time together at work, and when individuals are in close quarters working together, and having honest, emotional talks, there’s a strong possibility romantic ties may develop. It’s critical to consider the dangers before acting on your emotions, as there are many.

Stay on this page for reasons why you should reconsider that office romance.

Distractions

You neglected to post those social media updates while you were busy exchanging flirtatious texts. What about the month-end meeting’s PowerPoint presentation? When you allow yourself into a fast-paced office romantic relationship, it’s unsurprising that your brain wanders and focus diminishes, but you also stand at a risk of losing productivity.

Blurred boundaries

The most significant drawback of office romance is that it turns your personal life into the affair of the entire organization. The rumor of your relationship spreads through the air, and your love story becomes the center of attention. Additionally, workplace romance may cause tension between you and your coworkers. If a coworker has a strained connection with your partner, your relationship with that coworker is likely to suffer as well.

Breakup complications

If a pair end up ending the relationship, they have relatively more unfavorable sentiments toward one other, and their split might potentially impact the cordial connection across departments, forcing team members to take sides. This might lead to a major office rift, which would disrupt workplace dynamics. Sexual harassment allegations may also emerge in some serious instances.

Hierarchy may make things messy
office gossip

Image Credits: inc.com

Before you pursue a connection with a junior or superior, you should take more than a moment to think about it. Know that favoritism and accusations of power abuse, whether genuine or not, may cause havoc and affect how your colleagues perceive you. In this circumstance, you may have to pick between your career and your sentiments and be completely convinced that one is more paramount than the other.

Research over the years has shown that broken-up workplace relationships have been linked to distorted perceptions, sexual harassment lawsuits, and negative feelings about each other. Is it true that all office relationships are doomed? We can’t give a definite answer for sure as many employees have been blissfully married to past coworkers. But there’s no doubt that there are individuals going through breakups that have reverberations across the workplace. Therefore, before embarking on a workplace romance, thoroughly consider the implications.

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When is a Good Time to Switch Jobs?

Whether you admit it or not, we crave job security. Holding on to a job for several years is one way to attain this. However, there is less financial security in long-term employment.

You can get better by opening your doors to bigger opportunities. The longer you spend time locked up in any organization, the softer your muscles become. You can become complacent and comfortable.

When is it a suitable time to switch jobs?

#1: You became apathetic.

Feeling increasingly disconnected from your primary reasons for entering the field can affect your mental health. Notice if you are underperforming and skipping deadlines. What is going on?

If you cannot remember the last time you felt energized by a new project, it might be time to reassess your role.

#2: You do not feel like you are making an impact.

Your responsibilities and duties remain the same. Every day looks and feels identical. Therefore, you feel undervalued as you run on autopilot.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

It is time for you to find a new role that plays to your strengths and provides you opportunities to develop new ones.

#3: You dread going to the office.

If you dread going to work most days or feel anxious about interacting with the boss, you feel dissatisfied with your current roles.

It is time to think about other areas that will align with your passions. Search for new jobs in job portals such as LinkedIn.

#4: Your job is affecting your personal life.

Work should be challenging, but not crippling. If you are chronically exhausted and experience physical and mental tolls, it is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong.

Being stressed can affect your relationships with the people who matter the most. If your work is turning you unhappy and irritable, start to explore activities that will make you feel boosted again.

#5: You feel that your salary is not enough.

No matter how good the pay may be, you still feel that money is not enough. At some point, you will find yourself watching time pass by during meetings.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Constant dissatisfaction and mindlessness can make you feel like you are wasting your potential. This is a clear sign that you need to embrace change!

Source: 1

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What to expect from marriage counseling

marriage counseling

When you sign up for marriage counseling for the first time, you might encounter some anxieties, and that is perfectly normal. You may also be doubtful that counseling can actually help your relationship.

Mutual trust with a counselor, as well as mending your relationship, might take quite some time. Going into your initial few encounters of relationship counseling with an unbiased view and being upfront with yourself, your spouse, and your counselor is the best way to proceed. In fact, after a husband and wife attend their first counseling session, many of the perceived stigmas associated with couples counseling are generally dispelled.

Continue reading if you’re contemplating marriage counseling and want to know what to expect.

Introductions

A counselor will normally perform an initial conversation to discover your reasons for seeking therapy as well as to get to comprehend you as a person and as a pair. Your therapist will inquire about many aspects of your personal life from both you and your spouse to review your relationship and put your present relationship woes into context after listening to your experience.

Setting specific goals
a woman crying during marriage counseling

Image Credits: betterhelp.com

Maybe you desire greater affection from your spouse, while your partner desires patience from you. Perhaps you would want to understand how to cope with the frustration you’re experiencing as a result of your partner’s affair. One of the first stages in achieving your objectives is to share them with your spouse and marriage counselor. Bear in mind that as you and your spouse continue through the sessions, your priorities may alter.

Getting to the conversation

Both individuals in every relationship want to be noticed, cherished, and acknowledged. Most couples, on the other hand, get stuck in ineffective communication habits, leaving them unhappy and detached. Couples generally resent the other when this happens, not recognizing that the other party’s good intentions were not expressed effectively.

Marriage counseling helps couples to talk about their problems in a secure setting without relapsing to previous negative communication habits. The therapist assists the couple in determining why these patterns exist and what they may do to overcome them. The objective is to learn to interact with more empathy, improve your listening skills, and build bridges between what you want to express and what your spouse understands.

The truth is that marriage therapy can be extremely beneficial. Yes, it might be challenging, but it can also be rewarding ultimately. You will get a better understanding of yourself, your spouse, and, most crucially, your marriage. Because relationships should be viewed as a voyage rather than a conclusion, professional help at the start of a relationship feels just as useful as professional help later in the marriage. It’s a terrific opportunity to practice honest conversations, establish conflict resolution skills, and learn how to deal with tricky situations in the future.

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