Hey IDEAL magazine, way to kill the buzz, we hear you say. But for a relationship to work long term and lovingly, practicality and pragmatism need to be nurtured. It’s not all roses and romance ’till death do you in. And while you might be filled with hope and optimism for a future with your other half, marriage is a serious contract that mustn’t be signed half-heartedly, with your non-dominant hand. Since around 40% of marriages reportedly end in divorce, it’s important to lay the groundwork before tying the knot. With that in mind, here are 4 IDEAL practical considerations before getting married.
EXPECTATIONS VS. REALITY
Before you say “I do,” you might want to ask ‘where do you see us in ten years time?’. Whilst not wanting to sound like a job interview, this discussion kinda is one; you need to check your expectations for the future are symbiotic and synergised. After all, you’ll both need to make significant decisions, and find compromises, regarding your finances, family life and where you’ll live, and if they’re aligned from the get go, then all the better.
YOUR FINANCES
Money can be a tough subject for couples to discuss, as they might not like to talk about their salary, savings or debt. It is, however, important that both parties have a thorough understanding of each other’s finances, as their debt could soon become your debt and their salary could impact your lifestyle.
Alternatively, if you have a significant amount of money in the bank, you might need to broach the subject of a prenuptial agreement, which can protect both of your assets should you one day decide to separate. If you need help with a prenuptial agreement, contact experienced family lawyers for advice.
DIVISION OF LABOUR
If you and your partner already live together, it’s likely you already have a cleaning routine in place and feel fully prepared to enter married life with the chores aleady divided fairly. If, however, you have yet to take the plunge and trial your domestic arrangements, you must discuss how the household chores list will work in your house.
For example, if you don’t mind cooking each day but hate washing dishes, you should talk about whether your partner might be willing to tackle the task, so you don’t need to. While it might seem like a small issue, it’s the little problems that can lead to big arguments within the home. All of that leaving the lids off? Bad news. Keep finding tissues stuffed behind the sofa? It could spell trouble.
ATTITUDES TO SPENDING
Man, it sounds so bleak. But credit scores can be important in a marriage as they can ultimately determine whether you can secure a mortgage, large loan or finance. It is, therefore, important to ask if your other half has a poor, fair or good score, so you will know what the future will hold for you both during married life.
It might also be beneficial to help them to remove incorrect information or build up their credit history prior to marriage, so you can quickly move onto the next stage after you walk down the aisle, such as buying your first home together.
