- Budgeting
- Cash Management
- Consumer and Mortgage Loans
- Debt and Debt Reduction
- Time Value of Money 1: Present and Future Value
- Time Value of Money 2: Inflation, Real Returns, Annuities, and Amortized Loans
- Insurance 1: Basics
- Insurance 2: Life Insurance
- Insurance 3: Health, Long-term Care, and Disability Insurance
- Insurance 4: Auto, Homeowners, and Liability Insurance
- The Home Decision
- The Auto Decision
- Family 1: Money and Marriage
- Introduction
- Ten Key Principles of Money and Marriage
- 1. The family is ordained of God
- 2. Your spouse has first priority
- 3. Marriage partners are equal
- 4. Marriage partners should seek the “best interests” of the family.”
- 5. Financial problems are usually behavioral problems, not money problems
- 6. Change is necessary to improve.
- 7. Money spent on things you value leads to satisfaction and accomplishment.
- 8. Financial freedom is more the result of decreased spending than increased income
- 9. Spouses are to leave their parents and become one
- 10. The best things in life require no money
- Understand Why Money May be an Issue in Marriage
- Recommendations for Money and Marriage
- Summary
- Assignments
- Family 2: Teaching Children Financial Responsibility
- Family 3: Financing Children’s Education and Missions
- Investments A: Key Lessons of Investing
- Investments B: Key Lessons of Investing
5. Financial problems are usually behavioral problems, not money problems
The Lord shared a parable in which explained:
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country . . . and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one… But he that had received one [talent] went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. (Matt 25:14-18)
All three had the same opportunity. It wasn’t money, but the use of that money that made the difference. The Lord expects more from us! Elder Marvin J. Ashton commented:
How important are money management and finances in marriage and family affairs? Tremendously. The American Bar Association recently indicated that 89 percent of all divorces could be traced to quarrels and accusations over money. Others have estimated that 75 percent of all divorces result from clashes over finances. Some professional counselors indicated that four out of five families are strapped with serious money problems. May I at this time hasten to emphasize the fact that these marriage tragedies are not caused simply by lack of money, but rather by the mismanagement of personal finances. (Marvin J. Ashton, “One for the Money,” Ensign, July 1975, 72.)
It is the same with our financial obligations in marriage. It isn’t money, but the use of that money that will make a difference in our marriages.