“Money matters are important in relationships. Unfortunately, most couples do not discuss this upfront; they wait until they’ve moved in together to discover each other’s spending habits and debts. It’s almost impossible to move in with someone without having a discussion about finances. A financial picture should be laid out,” executive coach Tumi Moloto. Here are questions to ask: Attitude towards money His attitude towards money is telling. How he was brought up plays a significant role how he will relate to money. He may be a spender or a saver based on how he was brought up. So ask him and observe how he is with his finances before taking the plunge. How much he earns Having the conversation about how much he earns may be difficult but it is important to know so you can figure out how much he can afford and who will be responsible for what in your new household. You assuming he earns a lot more because of the lifestyle he lives can be misleading as a lot of people are in debt. So be aware of the deception. His credit score His credit score can have implications in the future when you actually want to get married or when you decide you wean to buy property together and take things to the next level. So his bad debt and credit decisions can affect you. Future financial plans See being in love can make one blind to certain things and not want to think of the future and where you may fit in his plans. But you should ask him where he wants to be financially and see where you want to be and if they align. You don’t want surprises down the line. PS: Always keep receipts of all the things you buy; a paper trail is king when co-habiting.
