Five Steps to Romantic Money Management
By Dr. Audrey Reed

1. Appreciations

Without honor, respect, and appreciation, romance soon fades into the sunset. Appreciate where you are today. It's the starting point for building your future together in love, work, and finance. Document it, understand it and plan for it to grow. Since I work with finances, my husband and I began a practice of romantic money management and appreciation.

2. Ownership

While we began this practice around our finances, it has expanded now to include love, work, and life in general, except the day of and the day after bill paying, then it is exclusively about abundance, prosperity and appreciation for the responsibility each of us have in the process. Like everything that is really fabulous in life, Romantic Money Management takes practice. It's like a muscle that needs strengthening.

Start each day by appreciating who you and who your partner is. My husband and I sit together each morning before we begin our day with our protein shakes in the morning before we run out the door.

One of us starts and says:

What I appreciate about myself is ___________.
What I appreciate about you is ________________.

Then, it's the other one’s turn....

We take three turns each. Take ownership of your role and honor the role of your partner and appreciate yourself and your partner for this.

3. Pillow Talk

Leave notes on the pillow for the evening: love notes, notes of appreciation and adoration. This works especially well, if you are in a huff, want to make up, and the old ego has a hold of your brain, I write all the things I would say if I weren't mad. It opens up the loving and soothes the hurt for each other. When pillow talk becomes a habit, the mere appearance of an envelope will bring a smile. Build a tradition of supporting, encouraging, and promoting your partner.

4. Saving
Consider whatever you are doing together romantic. Choose something you both want (either for the house, a vacation, etc) and start a savings fund. In Money Toolbox, we use a cookie jar. Put a percentage of money from paychecks, change collected from your pocket, etc. in the cookie jar together and watch the savings and your love grow. Set common goals and save for them together and appreciate your progress.

5. Celebrations

Give life to your appreciation with celebrations. Normally we think about celebrations as being costly. Celebrate everything and in the simplest of ways, kissing - hugging - acknowledgments - dancing to your favorite song, just taking the time to listen to music together, holding hands and watching TV, walking together admiring all the gifts of the planet. Breathe in the romance of the moment. YUMMY! Celebrate your successes and your failures. Successes are easy but remember that failures are indicators of a willingness to reach beyond yourself and grow.

Dr. Audrey Reed is the author of “Money Toolbox for Women.” She has more than 30 years of business experience in corporate organizational management and entrepreneurial sales/marketing. She has been the Founder of Works In Progress, Inc. for the past seven years. Visit her website at: www.moneytoolboxforwomen.com