Believe it or not, love and money are totally compatible. In many cases those who are happy in love and at home, tend to have successful careers and more financial opportunities. Perhaps, after all these years, the true meaning of love comes from a crazy commitment to currency?
“People in ‘bad’ relationships tend to spend tons of money,” observes one of Toronto’s leading independent money strategists, Sandi Gale. “But, people in love can live on love and save money.”
As a new generation of romantics, both young and not-so-young at heart, start to couple, the issues of assets are not only practical bedside banter but popular conversation.
“The Wartime generation was a culture of savers, but the Boomers were big spenders,” explains Gale. “This created a deep deficit and now, with no jobs to support the spending, well, the economy just can’t keep going this way.”
Statistics show that the number one thing that lovers fight about is finances. In fact, some marriage counselors are known to refuse clients unless they first seek out a financial advisor.
So how do you counter the trend to spend and save the relationship?
For lovers in the mood, one practice that Gale recommends is a seductive step-by-step month investment plan. Just thirty dollars per month (that’s fifteen dollars each) in an investment account, can add up quite quickly and when properly invested, even multiply.
“If all couples were dedicated to putting away just 10 per cent of their salaries, in ten years they could go on a very romantic second honeymoon, remodel the home and a whole lot more” says Gale. “To get the amount you save to rise rapidly, get into the habit of saving by making it a game – after all, if saving isn’t fun, you’re not as likely to keep it up.”
As a mother of four and grandmother to eight, Sandi Gale is no stranger to love. And having studied the psychology of money five times, successfully owned and managed an accounting business, and worked as a licensed financial planner for twelve years, Sandi is no stranger to wealth.
“Why do people buy lottery tickets? Because they hope to improve their life standard, should they win,” says Gale. “But going from rags to riches, or moving from one financial rung to another, isn’t just about hope or luck, it’s creating an action plan that has long term vision and then implementing it one step at a time. And when you work together as a couple, more currency just might mean more love.”
