Time-Starved Marriage?

The less time you have together, the more things go wrong in your relationships.

Do any of these describe your marriage?

• Your life centers around your children & your jobs


• You are both pretty exhausted during the week


• Your home and life seems to move from one small crisis to another


• Time for romance or interacting with one another is saved for weekends along with catching up on chores around the house

So what can you do? Here are some solutions for a Time-Starved Marriage:

• Be honest with each other about the time issues in your lives


• Focus more on your husband-wife relationship


• Make sure the two of you are connecting with each other every day


• Don't put yourselves on 'hold', either personally or as a couple. Take care of yourself both emotionally and physically


• Say, "No" more often to errands, chores, social activities with others, overtime, volunteer work, meetings, ect


• Have at least one date night each month


• Send emails to each other and leave love notes around the house


• Find ways to make the most of every precious moment you have with each other

For more tips, please visit http://www.thehappy-marriage.com/

Humor & Fun

Feel like your marriage is missing a little something? Try a little fun! Adding fun and humor in a marriage is a must- and it doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. Today’s couples need to make time to enjoy each other.
Most couples work too hard to really enjoy their life together- they feel that if they aren’t doing something useful, they are wasting time. It's never a waste of time to work on your marriage.

• Schedule time for some fun


• Spend time with other couples


• Do chores together


• Loan out the kids for a brief time so you can be together


• Spice things up- try something new or different


• Learn something new together

Whatever activity you choose, keep in mind that the main objective is to have fun. Resist the temptation to fill the time with conversation about work, bills, or to-do lists. Use the time to enjoy your spouse.
Remember, this time is just as important as anything else you do for your family. Start today and play your way to a healthier and happier marriage.

Dating Your Spouse?

Are you still 'dating' your spouse? It may be a concept foreign in your relationship but even after years of marriage, you can still keep the spark alive by setting side time to go out on dates. Dating is an important part of a relationship and should not be ignored or neglected.
Here are a few suggestions;

• Call your spouse and ask for a date.
• When your date is supposed to start, pretend you are picking your spouse up by knocking on the door to announce your arrival.
• Bring flowers or candies. Play it up as much as possible. Have fun!
• Find a reliable baby-sitter and book him or her in advance for your dates.
• Have your children stay with relatives so you can plan weekends alone

Not sure how to go about planning or preparing for your date?

• Make a list of things you and your spouse like to do together.
• Include at least 10 things on your list. The things you choose can cost money - going to the movies or the theater - or be free - taking a walk on the beach or having a candlelight dinner on the living room floor.
• Check your schedules. Set aside at least one day per month for you and your partner to make a date.
• Take time to prepare for your date. Act as you did when you and your partner first started dating, taking extra time to feel and look your best.
• Hold hands, open doors for each other and lock arms. Be excited and enthusiastic about your date.

Money Problems in your Marriage?

How serious are money problems in a relationship?

Perhaps it’s not a question of how serious your money problems are, but how much you know about personal finance. It is human to want to avoid problems. To say to your spouse, “if I had known about your spending habits before, I would not have married you”, is a cowardly way of putting the blame on someone else. You entered into a partnership and logically, you should solve your problems as true partners, not as political opponents.

So what can you do? Before you teeter into the path of bankruptcy, tell your spouse you have a major problem to solve. You can try solving it yourselves, but if you end up fighting or arguing, you need the objective opinion of a third party (not including friends or relatives) see a professional financial advisor.

Having debts is normal- about 95% of the population carry debt. The only time it’s not normal is when it begins to rule your life like a hydra-headed monster. You know what that means; too many days in the month and not enough money and you're constantly thinking about money (or lack thereof). This means your quality of life deteriorates because your debt load is too high.

Be smart, be disciplined- stick to a budget and follow a debt repayment program. Work together with your spouse and most importantly, be honest with each other.