Elise is originally from Lehi, Utah and is a Family Studies major at BYU. After graduating, she plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and doing anything creative.
Elise Rich
More from this author
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When Money Feels Uncertain: How Financial Concerns Shape Parenting
Have you ever noticed how two families with similar incomes can feel completely different about their financial situation? Research suggests that it is not always actual income that shapes family life. Sometimes, what matters most is how parents perceive their financial situation. A recent study by Van Petegem and colleagues explored how parents’ perceptions of economic inequality and financial scarcity relate to their involvement in their children’s schooling.¹
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It’s a Life Lesson: What Happens When Teens Are Given Money to Learn With?
What if one of the best ways to teach young people about money is simply to let them use it? When we think about financial education, we often picture budgeting worksheets, classroom lessons, or conversations about saving and spending. But learning about money is a lot like learning to drive. Reading the manual helps, but eventually you need to get behind the wheel. A recent study examined what happened when teenagers received $50 per week in unconditional cash for 10 months. Researchers found that having money to manage gave young people opportunities to practice financial decision-making, reflect on their goals, support their families, and learn lessons that traditional financial education alone may not provide.¹
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Can Money Buy Happiness for a Family? The Surprising Role of Parenting
Have you ever wondered why some families seem happy and connected regardless of their income, while others struggle despite having plenty of financial resources? Some people assume that more money automatically leads to happier families, but reality is more complicated than that. While financial stability can certainly reduce stress and provide opportunities, researchers have found that money alone does not determine family well-being. Instead, what parents do with the resources they have and how they interact with their children may matter just as much, if not more.
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Beyond Income: What Really Signals Readiness for Marriage?
Ever notice how some couples seem ready to get married long before they actually do? They may be deeply committed, have dated for years, and talk openly about their future together. Yet they continue waiting. Why?
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The Heart of the Matter: Identity, Self-Worth, and Money Conflicts
What if your last argument with your partner about money wasn’t really about money at all? Often, disagreements regarding spending and saving expose how partners tie their identity, self-esteem, and sense of success to financial decisions. A recent study by Dr. Deborah Ward and colleagues examined how basing your self-esteem on financial success, a concept called Financially Contingent Self-Worth, shapes the way people experience financial conflicts in their relationships. The study also looked at how this mindset influences feelings of partner support and overall relationship satisfaction. When self-esteem is closely tied to money, even small disagreements about finances can feel personal, tense, and difficult to resolve.
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When She Earns More: What Power Really Looks Like in Modern Marriage
Money may not buy love, but it can definitely shape the balance of power in a relationship. For generations, men have been seen as the providers—the ones who bring home the paycheck and, in turn, hold decision-making power. What happens when that script flips and she earns more? Does power in marriage shift with income, or do old gender roles still quietly steer the relationship?
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The Real Reason Couples Fight About Money
Ever wonder why some couples can calmly discuss finances while others spiral into arguments over spending? Money disagreements are one of the top stressors for romantic relationships, but the fights are often less about dollars and cents than they are about fairness, responsibility, and the values each partner brings to the table. Imagine a couple sitting down to pay bills, and one partner notices the other spent $200 on new headphones without mentioning it. The argument that follows isn’t really about the headphones—it’s about trust, responsibility, and whether money is being handled fairly. So, what is the difference between couples? In their 2023 study, Peetz, Meloff, and Royle explored exactly this, looking at what couples fight about when money is involved, which disagreements affect satisfaction, and which ones tend to cause the most stress.¹ They analyzed hundreds of financial conflict descriptions from reddit posts and recollections from married couples to uncover what couples actually fight about, which disagreements connect to relationship satisfaction, and which types of money conflicts are most harmful. In this article, I’ll explain what they found, why it matters, and how understanding these patterns can help couples approach money conversations with more empathy and less stress.
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What You Saw is What You Get: Childhood Money Lessons and Marital Financial Fights
Ever wonder why some couples can calmly talk through a budget while others spiral into shouting matches over spending? Money disagreements are one of the top stressors for couples—but what if the way you learned about money as a kid could help keep those fights at bay? That’s the question Dr. Ashley Larsen Gibby and colleagues explored in their 2021 study.1 They looked at how both implicit and explicit childhood financial lessons affect couples’ ability to handle money disagreements in marriage. In this article, I’ll explain what they found, why it matters, and how your own childhood money experiences might be your secret weapon (or crutch to overcome) for smoother financial talks with your partner.
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Stressed About Money? You’re Not Alone
If you’re a college student, chances are you’ve felt stressed about money at some point. Whether it’s worrying about student loans, stretching your paycheck to cover rent, or just figuring out how to pay for groceries and gas, financial stress can feel overwhelming. And you’re not alone—studies show financial stress is one of the top challenges college students face. The good news? You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. Financial counseling, something many students don’t even realize their campus offers, can be a game-changer. A study by Dr. Sonya Britt Lutter and colleagues examined the impact financial stress has on college students and the role of counseling services in addressing this issue.1 They found that not only is financial stress widespread, but seeking help through counseling reduces that stress and improves money management skills over time. In other words, talking to someone who understands both the emotional and practical side of money can give students the tools and confidence to stop feeling like they’re drowning.
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