Mint

I'd say one of the biggest adjustments so far in marriage has been to put our finances together, and learning to communicate about money. (It is truly hard, and we are still learning.) I'll be the first to admit, saving and budgeting has never been my strong suite. Rob is quite the opposite (praise Jesus!) He has his degree in finance and his day job has to do with money and bonds and stuff (please don't ask me to explain…) Thankfully, everyday our way of managing money together is improving (a.k.a I'm learning lots from him, and he's learning it's absolutely necessary to budget $30 a month for me to get a pedicure, ha!)

With all that said, I am so excited about something Rob and I have recently started.  We started budgeting on Mint. Have you heard of it? We have known about this website for a while, but hadn't fully set everything up on it until a few weeks ago. It is pretty much the greatest thing ever….  Simply put, it's a website that links up to your bank account and/or credit card(s.) You set a monthly budget, and as you spend, it shows (with color-coordinated visuals) how much you have spent and how much is left in that category.  Setting a budget and seeing it visually on Mint helps me so much.  Obsessively checking my Mint app (such a great app, btw) is a new hobby of mine, and a great way as a couple to hold each other accountable on spending. I will warn you, it takes a bit to figure out how to set everything up on the site, but once you play around with it for a bit, it's fabulous!

I also really like Dave Ramsey's financial advice.  Here is a great article from his website actually having to do with newlyweds and money that is helpful. If you are anything like me, and strive off of structure and visuals, I'd highly recommend looking into Mint.