Helping Family Change Their Spending Habits By Tisha Kulak Tolar At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

In many cases, a debt-free lifestyle is prompted by one person. Generally it is not because other family members do not want to find debt freedom, but because of time constraints and the priorities of people. It can be very discouraging to have one person do all of the work only to find that the rest of the family is not participating.

While there is no sure-fire way to physically change any other person’s habits effectively, there are some things you can do to help expedite the process and be more helpful in working with family members to get on the same debt-free page. Here are some tips for helping convert the spenders into savers:

Be The Example

Depending on the rank in your family, you may be in a key position to have everyone one already following other examples you set each day. But it is important to understand how to be a good example when it comes to leaving your debt behind. You need to be able to control your emotions when trying to delegate financial responsibilities around the house, such as clipping coupons, controlling impulse buys, and teaching more frugal ways of living. If you can prevail with a cool head and implement recognition for a job well done, what you preach might be practiced more often by others.

Make It Visual

As a family, it can be important to set financial goals and share them visually. Perhaps a chart on the wall showing the savings each person made possible that week will work. Maybe additional savings that aren’t directed towards paying down debts, can be put into a family vacation fund so even the younger kids can feel included in the lifestyle changes of the family. Visuals hung in a common areas can help keep all family members on track and serve as a daily reminder of goals.

Revisit Goals

It can be a very refreshing thing to look back on past goals and see how much you have accomplished. Seeing results can often be a constant motivator for continuing to practice better money habits. Once original goals have been met, it can be fun to create new ones on an ongoing basis.

Understand Different Motivators

Some couples find that they have entirely different views on money matters. There is nothing wrong with that provided you each make a concerted effort to understand where each other is coming from. Finding out what motivates your partner to save and strive for financial freedom can make a huge difference in your efforts to live a debt-free life together.

Change Habits Together

If you find that on person is better at managing the checkbook while the other is better at finding deals at the grocery store, change roles and money habits together. Many times couples find that only one person takes a real responsibility for the bills getting paid and the financial health of the family. By combining efforts, you are likely to produce a more effective result.

Remain Flexible

This bit of advice is mostly for the person used to being “in control”. Once responsibilities are split amongst partners, there can be a normal tendency for that person to feel still in control, making it easy for arguments to start over small issues. Remaining flexible and open-minded allows you to explore new ideas and make the other person feel less scrutinized and under pressure to do things your way.

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