Couple’S Money questionnaire

Get to know each other’s money personality and work towards a desired outcome for your finances together.

SHARE YOUR MONEY STORIES

Discuss these questions but also note the emotions you feel when discussing it. Note for example if you are proud, comfortable, embarrassed, regretful etc.

First money moments

Remember the first time you bought something with your own money? What did you buy? How did you get the money?

Talk about your first job and the ones that followed. What did you do with your money? 

How did you get money as a child and a teen? What did you do with it?

When you were a kid, did you think you were richer or poorer than your friends or others in your family? Who did you know that you thought was really wealthy or really poor?

Were you expected to contribute to or pay for class trips or projects when you were in school? What about going to a prom or on a date to the movies?

Your family context

Growing up, how was money talked about in your home? Do you know who paid the bills and how big financial decisions were made about buying a car or house, investing or saving for the future?

If there were arguments about money, what usually caused them and how were you involved? How would you know when your parents disagreed about money?

Were you encouraged to live simply and be content or was there a sense of competition to keep up or outdo others?

Did your immediate family seem to have a different lifestyle or values than your extended family or other people in your neighborhood or community?

Did they encourage you to fit in or to get more education, have more or be different?

Is your current lifestyle and values now in sync with your parents, siblings and old friends or are they different? 

Money for fun

How have you spent your money for fun in the past? Has anything changed?

What have you done for fun and pure enjoyment that doesn’t cost a penny?

In the future, how do you see spending money on entertainment, fun and recreational activities?

Money and Fear

What is your biggest fear about money? If you can, share the story of what caused that fear.

Do you have any money regrets?

SHARE YOUR MONEY REALITY

This discussion is more about the practical aspects of money. How you have managed your money in the past, what you bring to the relationship and how you would like to manage money as a couple. It is very important that in this discussion there is no shame or blame or guilt. It just is. The more honest you can be with each other, the better you will be able to discuss money in the future. Remember you both bring positive attributes to this relationship – learning how to harness them so that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts is the key to a happy and successful relationship!

Handling money

How would you describe your financial past?

Do you have a history of saving, investing or going into debt? Have you ever declared bankruptcy or had major credit card debt?

Did you save up for big ticket items or pay them off over time?

Are you used to buying the best and newest clothes, electronics, cars, etc and how have you paid for them?

Have you significantly changed anything about the way you manage money now than you did in the past? What caused the change?

How much debt do you currently have?

What would it take for each of you to feel financially secure? How much money does it take for each of you to feel independent and meet your needs?

How do you both feel about giving to your church, charities or to help friends and family members?

How much debt are each of you comfortable having month-to-month?

How do you each use credit cards?

What lifestyle do both of you project having in five years?

Would it help to discuss a pre-nuptial agreement if either or both of you have assets, financial concerns, children from previous relationships or other financial responsibilities?

How much do each of you earn and how much is deducted for retirement and taxes?

Are there investments, bank accounts, bonds and other financial assets?

What do each of you own and owe?

What financial obligations do you each have?

Future money management: day-to-day

How will you manage money as a couple?

Who will take responsibility to pay bills, stay knowledgeable about investments and monitor the general flow of money?

How will you both stay informed?

Will you merge all your money and have everything in joint accounts, keep everything separate or a combination of both?

Will expenses be split 50/50 or by the percent of what each person earns?

What if one person is not working—will that person have his or her own discretionary money?

How much will you spend without talking to each other first?

*Source: MoneyHabitudes.com*