Hannah is extremely disciplined with her money. She keeps track of every cent, saves regularly, and maintains a strict budget. She is proud of her spending habits because she knows exactly where her money is going. These habits lead her to feel financially secure and satisfied. Josh, on the other hand, tends to use his money impulsively. He does not like to budget or save very much, and his financial situation often stresses him, leading him to feel financially frustrated. What happens when these two mindsets come together in a relationship? Would their finances follow Hannah’s financial expertise or Josh’s haphazard ways? According to research, there are certain outcomes that these two lovebirds could potentially expect.

For religious individuals, their faith is one of the single most influential factors in their lives.[1] In many faith traditions, it is required or encouraged for their members to contribute their time, efforts, and money freely (religious giving)—but how do individuals really feel about religious giving, and how does that affect their marriages and families? One qualitative study by Dr. Loren Marks and colleagues answered that question by interviewing 184 highly religious couples about their beliefs.1 In this article, we will discuss some themes encompassing how couples viewed their sacrifices as giving, how the faith community supported them, and the relationships between marriage, parenting, and finances.

You’ve probably heard that love can change you—but did you know it can also change your money habits? That’s exactly what Dr. Joyce Serido and her colleagues sought to find out. Over four years, they followed college students to see how the people closest to them—parents and romantic partners—shaped the way they thought about and handled money.1 In this article, I’ll break down what the study discussed, why these findings matter, and how you can use them to improve both your money habits and your relationships.

You probably know your partner's favorite takeout order or Netflix show. But do you know how they feel about money? Not just the budget stuff—but their deep-down beliefs about what money means. These beliefs, called money scripts, can influence your behaviors, your conversations, and your connection with your partner.[1]

We don’t just inherit our parents’ looks and last names—we can also inherit their money mindsets. These financial foundations aren’t passed down through genetics, but rather through a series of interactions over time called financial socialization. Financial socialization is the process by which parents’ own financial behaviors impact their children’s future financial behaviors,[1] and it can occur in several different ways. For example, parents can model financial behaviors through their example, talk with their kids about money, or provide experiences for kids to practice money management. As parents teach their children about finances, it can impact their children’s current and future relationship with money.

In a two-year study conducted by Dr. Chelom Leavitt and her colleagues,[1] they tracked 338 couples to explore the impact of materialism on marital relationships. It was found that materialism—regarding money, possessions, and status as the keys to happiness1—profoundly affects the emotional and sexual wellbeing of couples.1 Previous research shows that both "object-oriented" materialism (the pursuit of material things) and "image-oriented" materialism (the pursuit of image enhancement) are associated with lower relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction.[2] In other words, the more a couple values money and material things, the more likely they are to feel dissatisfied in their relationship and sex life.

When I was growing up, I couldn’t wait to be an adult. Now that I am one, I often find myself wondering what being an adult really means. Do we wake up one day and feel like we are an adult? Or is it something that develops as we go through adult-like experiences? To answer these questions, let's examine the concept of adult identity.

Left or right? Up or down? There is a reason these words are considered opposites—because they rarely describe someone or something at the same time. To do so would be paradoxical because of their “seemingly contradictory qualities.”[1]

When I was 9 years old, I had no idea what ‘Air Jordans’ were. So, when a student came to class wearing a highlighter-yellow pair, I was confused by the hullabaloo from my peers. I also didn’t realize how much popularity someone could get from something they wore! When I got home, I asked my mom if I could get some new shoes. I’m not a materialistic person, but envy of material things started early for me. 

In Disney’s film Up, you learn about Carl and Ellie—a young couple filled with aspirations and adventurous spirits. Shortly after getting married, they purchased a fixer-upper house because it was likely all they could afford as a newlywed couple. To save money, Carl and Ellie sawed, nailed, and polished their house until it felt more like a home. After some planning, they prepared for an addition to their home: Carl and Ellie delicately hung toy blimps over a crib and trimmed the back wall with a hand-painted stork. The next time you see this overjoyed couple, however, they’re in a dark hallway under the ominous glow of a pale-lit doctor’s office. Ellie has her face buried in her palms—they can’t have children. She isn’t alone, though; about one-tenth of all couples struggle with infertility.[1]