How A Money Date Can Help Unlock Financial Wellness For You & Your Partner

Mar 14, 2024

Talking money doesn't have to feel monstrous — especially if you make it fun by setting a money date. No matter your current relationship to money, this should be a time that you set aside to demystify the basics, build a healthy relationship with money, and learn ways to grow your wealth. This intentional time together allows you to give your full attention to how you relate to money and how to create the habits and lay down a healthy foundation to create financial wellness. Hopefully, you'll walk away from your money date with a confident, stress-free relationship to money.

What is a money date?

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A money date can take on many forms, but it should always align with where you are in life. If you're single — or choose to keep money separate in your relationship — then a money date can be carving out time for yourself to create a comfortable space and review your priorities, values, and overall financial goals and hopefully actually set a plan in motion to achieve those. If you're in a relationship with combined finances, a money date can also be a way for you and your significant other to come together to talk about money and what matters most to each of you in a way that makes you comfortable and makes finances more approachable. TBH, even a group of friends can also get together with the purpose of focusing on money and topics that can help each of you gain better insights and strategies into reducing financial stress and building financial wellness and wealth.

How do you plan a money date?

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A good starting point is to simply just...begin. One step leads into the next and before you know it, you've built life-long healthy money habits. But what does "beginning" actually look like? If you have a S.O., it's important to quickly chat with each other and establish the importance of money dates. Let them know that you want to work together to build healthy conversations around your goals and values with an emphasis on money and how that plays into your financial success. If you want to create a group of friends to have more structured conversations together, then think of 5-7 people that you think would be interested in the topic, add value to the conversation, and benefit from the discussion. And yes, even if you decide you want to focus on your money individually, you still need to structure it just like you structure time for your workouts!

No matter who you have your money date with, my best advice is to keep it consistent and have some guidelines. Being consistent means that you plan accordingly and you do the work if you want to enjoy the benefits. Set a time for individual or couple conversations — once a week for an hour is reasonable. For a group, once a month is more realistic. It will be more productive if you have the conversation in a place where you don't get distracted and where you have privacy as money can be a sensitive topic. Over a cup of coffee on the deck or a glass of wine on the couch, whatever works best for you.

What should you talk about on a money date?

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There are a number of topics you should cover during a money date, which is why I suggest scheduling yours for one hour a week, same day, same time, and same place. You're establishing a habit and this is the best way for you to be consistent and reach your goal of financial health and wellness. The topics will be broad and then there should be opportunities for you to dig further down. My favorite break the ice question to get things started? Ask someone what's important to them about money.

Starting with this question will bring down some barriers and take the focus off how much money you have (quantitative) to what is important to you (qualitative). There will be plenty of time to go over numbers, but the first money date should be focused on dreams, goals, and values.

It's also critical to avoid money shaming during your conversation. Think about your relationship with money. How did you grow up learning about money? Did your parents fight about it? Was it a taboo subject that nobody spoke about? Or was there a scarcity of money? Think about it — these memories we have about money and our first introduction to money can have a negative affect on us that we don't even realize until we start to ask these questions. By starting conversations with qualitative questions first, you will quickly find out what your differences are and what the pain points are and help you identify the areas that you will need to discuss and work through more carefully.

After that, the first step in any of the following topics is to gather the information. Bring all the details with you to the date. There will be time to dig in deeper, have discussions around it, and make a decision or two — although don't worry about solving it all in one date. The point here is to make process based on the information you have at hand. The areas that you should address include the following:

Cash Flow: What's coming in (salary, income) and what's going out (expenses). There's no way around it — your expenses must be less than your income to be financially successful. Budgeting is usually the first place to start, but can also be the most difficult. It's okay to skip this one for now and come back to it if needed. Think of this as taking charge of your money one step at a time!
Debt: Credit cards, car loans, mortgages, student loans... no matter what type you have, debt can be challenging and ultimately set you back years financially if you don't address it the right way. There's definitely a difference between good debt and bad debt, and knowing which one is which is important to help you understand the best way to tackle this.
Retirement: It can be hard to think about retirement when you're in your earning or accumulation years. The key is to set up an automatic process where the money goes into your retirement accounts before it ever hits your bank account. You won't miss it if you don't see it.
Insurance/Protection: There are many reasons to transfer risk away from you onto an insurance company. Start with the basics — life, auto, home, and consider your company's benefits here as well.
Investing: The time value of money and compound interest are your best friends. Automating monthly deposits into your investment account is a great way to build wealth over time.
Estate Planning: Nobody likes to think of this one, but it's important to address. Retirement accounts and insurance falls outside of the will so be sure to update your beneficiaries annually(who you want to get your money if something were to happen to you). You will need at least the three basic documents as well - will, (who gets your money, assets and personal items) power of attorney (who can make financial decisions for you if you are unable to do so) and health care proxy (who can make medical decisions on your behalf)
Education: If you have kids and want to plan for the growing costs of college, 529s custodial accounts and other investments are available to help do so.
Philanthropy: Are you charitably inclined? Do you have causes that are important to you? Did you know that there are other ways to donate other than writing a check? You can also donate stock (Most who donate stock will donate appreciated stock, or stock that has gone up in value).

What happens after your money date?

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Having an easy way to approach your money and having a system to manage your money will help you reduce stress around money and build confidence to move forward successfully. With the above plan, you can address both the quantitative side of your life as well as your qualitative side of your life to build wealth well. It's critical to explore the emotional side of money and what it means to you so you can better understand the best way for you to approach the dollars and sense of it.

If you're single and are thinking about when to start a money date — the best time to start is now. You're not too young and you're not too old. If you start today, you're one step closer to reaching financial peace of mind. Step one is set up time for your first date.

If you're in a relationship, the best time to start a money date is when you're beginning to discuss building a future together. When you have an SO, it takes the complications of money one step further as you each have a history with money that you bring to the table and to the relationship. Unchecked, it can cause challenges when it may be too late. Building habits early on and normalizing conversations about money will help you to implement the steps and actions that are needed to realize your goals together.

Having money dates on a regular basis will keep you consistent, disciplined, and focused financially. The benefits to a money date (and a lifelong process of money dates) is financial confidence — knowing where you stand, having the choice to do what you want with your time and money, and building a healthier, wealthier you. Money touches every aspect of your life, but money dates help you feel less stress, more in control, communicate better, and make better decisions in all of those aspects. By addressing this now, you're navigating complicated but important differences that you will want to work through together and start setting up healthy money habits now for your future.

Looking for more tools to help you jump start your road to financial freedom? Look for courses, classes, podcasts, books, spreadsheets, websites, instagram accounts that focus on to help address all things money. Check out my blogs on http://www.themoneydatebox.com where I share strategies and tools to help you get smarter about your money.

10 Money Hacks To Save For Your Dream Life Now

It can be tricky to navigate seasons of life where money is tight and the cost of living is high. You want to make sure you aren't wasteful with what you have, but you also want to have some fun. Getting on top of your finances requires more than just checking your balance at the end of the month, and that's why we talked to cool girl and self-proclaimed "Financial Popstar" Haley Sacks (AKA Mrs. Dow Jones).

These money tips will make saving money more fun, and help you better understand the world of finance so that you can achieve your own "Financial Glow Up." Here's how you can start saving money for your dream life today.

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Contrary to what you might have been taught, you don't have to entirely cut fun things out of your life in order to save money. Doing so might actually have the opposite effect: you could burn out and spend way more than you would have if you simply added spending into your budgeted.

"If it’s a splurge that you’re obsessed with and will up your quality of life — then let’s figure out how much it costs and how you’re going to pay for it," Sacks says. She recommends the 50-30-20 method for your budget.

"Start by calculating your after-tax income and break it into 3 categories: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for future you!" she continues. "That 30% number is what we are going to focus on. That’s the amount you can spend every month on…whatever you want. This splurge included! Just make sure you don’t go over that number because you should never spend on your current self if you’re not also putting money away for future you."

Saving Up For Your Financial Goals

Budgeting helps you divide up your savings before the money goes into your account. That way, you always know what you're saving for. (It's also a good idea to have extra savings because you never know when your car will need a new battery or if you'll have an unexpected trip to the ER).

Saving requires some self-control since it's money you aren't able to spend right now, and it can be difficult to release your current spending habits. "[That stubbornness] really just comes from a fear of the unknown," Sacks says. "We often choose what is comfortable over what’s new! But the more you understand why you’re doing something, the more that stubbornness can be released." Here are some specific financial goals to save up for:

Goal: Becoming Debt-Free

Think how much more money you'll have to save *and* spend once your debt is paid off! Check out the snowball method vs. the avalanche method to figure out what's best for you, and just take it one day at a time.

Goal: Taking A Bucket-List Trip

Whether you've been dreaming of going to France since Emily in Paris dropped or you want to go on a solo trip to your favorite small town, you'll definitely want enough cash to have a good time. You can't go wrong spending money on an experience you'll love.

Goal: Scoring Tix To See Your Favorite Performer

Concert merch, movie tickets, name brand collections — start saving now for these once-in-a-lifetime events and your future self will thank you.

How To Start Investing

Investing is different than a regular savings account. When you invest your money, instead of just sitting in an account, it's put to work in a variety of projects so that you make a net profit and end up with more money than you had before. You can invest with a retirement plan, or government-related options like stocks and bonds. Here's some more investing info to get you started.

Consider getting a financial advisor early in life. Financial advisors can really make a difference in your long-term goals, whether you want to buy a home, start a family, or retire well. Make sure you find a certified financial advisor who is a fiduciary, which means they are legally or ethically bound to act in your best interest. They can help you figure out where to invest your 401Ks and really help you invest and build your savings over time.

How To Become Financially Literate + Financially Independent

Financial independence can feel like a crazy goal when you're in the throes of debt and bills. But there's one thing that can help you move toward it: financial literacy. After all, knowledge is power.

"The more that you take control of your finances, the more you take control of your life and destiny," Sacks says. "Financial literacy also ensures you never get taken advantage of and that you’re maximizing the benefits of all the financial products you use."

Everyone has a different financial situation, which means that everyone has to make different financial choices. Taking a step toward financial independence can mean anything from reexamining your grocery bill to creating streams of passive income that make you money while you sleep (more on that later).

All in all, financial literacy and financial independence can go hand-in-hand. Check out the 5 Tax Terms That Can Save You Money, or these 6 Money Tips For Kids. It's never too early to learn!

How To Make Saving Money Less Boring

You might be thinking, "Saving money just doesn't sound fun," and technically you're right. Saving might not feel fun on its own, which is exactly why we're here! Pinterest Predict's Cha-Ching Challenge got us thinking about ways that we can turn saving into a game. Try one or all of these ideas, and let us know your favorite.

Make Learning Fun

If you want to learn more about finances, find a program that puts the terminology into your language, like Sacks' own aspirational finance media company, Finance Is Cool. "It makes being good with your money chic," she says. "I designed it with the goal of helping the future rich people who follow me take control of their finances step-by-step and provide them with the tools they need to grow wealth, all with a little humor and a lot of Kardashian references so we can have fun while we learn."

Maximize Your Card

If you have a credit card, or a debit card with benefits, use the points and rewards to your advantage. Sacks loves the Amex Rewards Checking account. "I earn Membership Rewards points on eligible Debit Card purchases that I can use on shopping, traveling, and more," she says.

Set up an automated deposit into your checking account when the rewards reach a certain number, or save up all your points for a dream-worthy trip during the summer. You can also check out Brit's interview with The Points Guy for more inspo.

Make Money In Your Sleep

Create one (or more) streams of passive income to bolster your paycheck. You can create downloadable guides and video tutorials, sell photography, or add affiliate links to blog posts, but the beauty of passive income is that whatever you choose will do the work for you.

Have Regular Money Dates

A money date can be carving out time for yourself (or with your partner) to create a comfortable space and review your priorities, values, and overall financial goals and hopefully actually set a plan in motion to achieve those. Take yourself out to a cafe or have a glass of wine by your side to make it fun while feeling good about where you're going. Good luck!

With so much information at our finger tips, it's never been easier to take control of your finances. Check out our email newsletter for more money tips and tricks to help you have your own financial glow up.

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Why Timothée Chalamet Abandoned “Good Friend” Austin Butler’s ‘Elvis’ Method For Bob Dylan Role

Austin Butler as Elvis, Selena Gomez as Linda Rondstat, and now Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan — there will never be enough biopics for me! (The real question is when are we going to get a Taylor Swift movie?). When pictures from the set of the new Bob Dylan movie, A Complete Unknown, hit Twitter, I had to do a double take because Timothée Chalamet looks so much like the musician I couldn't believe my eyes! You can watch the A Complete Unknown trailer here.

Timothée is going to be joined by Met Gala queen Elle Fanning, as well as Top Gun superstar Monica Barbaro. Here's everything you need to know about the movie — and our favorite Bob Dylan songs to listen to while you wait for its release.

Keep reading to see the latest updates from Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.

Timothée Chalamet stars in A Complete Unknown, coming to theaters December 25, 2024.
He's joined by Elle Fanning and Monica Barbaro.
The movie follows Bob Dylan's career in the 1960s as he rises to fame and later shifts from folk to rock'n'roll.

Did Timothée Chalamet take inspiration from Austin Butler’s Elvis?

Timothée Chalamet recently revealed that while he originally wanted to approach A Complete Unknown by taking direct inspiration from Bob Dylan, he quickly changed his tone...so to speak. "Somebody once said to me, you can't make a movie about a painter because it's not interesting to watch paint dry," he says in People's exclusive video. "Bob has that element because he's not one of these forward-facing musicians."

While Timmy saw Natalie Portman a sequence in Jackie "step-for-step exactly what Jackie did," and paid attention to "all this stuff that I saw my good friend Austin Butler crush it with on Elvis," he quickly realized "I gotta do none of this because this is not my style."

"Bob did not have a vocal coach," he continues. "He had two bottles of red wine and four packs of cigarettes. There's no way to impersonate that." One of my favorite things about biopics is seeing how a well-known actor portrays a recognizable figure. And you can see Timothée Chalamet's interpretation of Bob Dylan in theaters December 25!

Monica Barbaro Sings Her Heart Out

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We got a look at Monica Barbaro as singer-songwriter Joan Baez, who was one of the first major artists in the 1960s to record Bob Dylan's music!

I was super impressed to learn Timothée showed up and sang live for the film. "It was important for me to play and sing on set because it was in the spirit of the movie to do it live," he says in a video from People. "Many of the artists through American pop culture that had the balls to turn their back on what was expected of them, that moment started with Bob. His words are relevant; 'Times They are A Changing' ' is relevant, 'Blowin' in the Wind' is relevant."

Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet In "A Complete Unknown"

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Elle Fanning totally embodies the late '60s vibe in this fall outfit. The bold maroon blazer, the long straight hair, and the striped turtleneck — I love it all! Elle is starring this Bob Dylan movie as Sylvie Russo, a university student and artist Bob falls for in the '60s.

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Thanks to some onset leaks, we also got a glimpse of the movie's version of The Freewheelin'! Elle Fanning and Timothée Chalamet look incredible as Sylvia Russo and Bob Dylan. I'm a sucker for any kind of recreation, so seeing this new version of the classic record cover is incredible!!

The First Pictures From Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan Movie

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Timothée Chalamet has totally transformed into Bob Dylan on the set of A Complete Unknown. And when I saw the pictures of Timothée carrying the guitar my jaw dropped!! He completely engrossed himself in Wonka and Dune 2 and I'm so excited to see him do the same for this Bob Dylan movie.

What is the movie about Bob Dylan called?

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A Complete Unknown Plot

Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan movie is called A Complete Unknown. The movie filmed around New York City in the spring of 2024, and James Mangold is serving as director (you might recognize his name from Logan, Girl, Interrupted, and Walk the Line). The movie will cover the period during the 1960s when Bob Dylan shifted from folk to rock'n'roll, changing the face of pop culture (and culture in general, TBH), forever.

"When that movie finally comes out, people are going to be shocked because you're going to think you're hearing Bob Dylan sing," vocal coach Eric Vetro tells PEOPLE. "[Timothée Chalamet] just has this uncanny ability to not impersonate, but really breathe life into it. He's embodying Bob Dylan and what he was like at that age."

Who else is in A Complete Unknown with Timothée Chalamet?

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A Complete Unknown Cast

The A Complete Unknown cast is incredible! Alongside Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, we'll see Top Gun: Maverick's Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, and Nick Offerman as Alan Lomax.

When is the Bob Dylan movie coming out?

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A Complete Unknown Release Date

A Complete Unknown will hit theaters on December 25, 2024. And since Timothée Chalamet has been seen in turtlenecks, hats, and jackets on set, this sounds like the perfect cozy movie to me!

I always need some brand new music to listen to once the weather gets chilly, and I will for sure be listening to anything Timothée records.

What song did Bob Dylan write for a movie?

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Bob Dylan wrote "Things Have Changed" for the 2000 movie Wonder Boys, which starred Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, and Katie Holmes. This Bob Dylan song ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Original Songand the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song!

"Knockin' On Heaven's Door," which is arguably the singer's most popular track, was released two months after the 1973 premiere of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid as a part of the film's soundtrack.

What are some other Bob Dylan songs to listen to?

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I totally agree that one of the best Bob Dylan songs is "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," but "Blowin' In The Wind" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'" are also great songs to listen to if you're a new Bob Dylan fan. So far, "The Times They Are A-Changin'" is my personal favorite song.

His style is the perfect blend of rock and folk that reminds me of summer picnics and walks in the woods. His sound also reportedly inspired Taylor Swift's Folklore!

What are you most excited to see in Timothée Chalamet's Bob Dylan movie A Complete Unknown? Check out our Facebook for more movie news!

This post has been updated.

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Feel Like You're Over-Spending? Now's A Great Time For A Mid-Year Financial Reset

We've all been there — your wallet finally recovered post-holidays in the first quarter of the year, only for you to slowly creep into over-spend mode yet again as summer fun takes over. Those ebbs and flows are totally normal, but sometimes it just means you have to pause and take a moment for a little mid-year financial reset so you don't totally lose sight of your goals.

Tori Dunlap, author of NYT bestseller Financial Feminist and the money expert behind @herfirst100k, has some helpful tips if you're trying to get back on financial track. Instead of cutting off fun cold turkey, here's how you can take stock of what you have, readjust your goals, and still spend on the fun stuff while also putting your best financial foot forward. Here are three questions Dunlap wants you to ask during your mid-year financial reset to accomplish this!

Photo by Karolina Kaboompics

1. Were my financial goals reasonable?

Dunlap suggests that chances are...they weren't. Saving a million dollars in a month probably isn't realistic, and sometimes saving one hundred dollars in a month isn't either. It all depends on your circumstances — what you're bringing in (income) and what's going out (bills, cost of living, etc). Take note of what you're working with so you can adjust accordingly.

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2. How do I need to optimize to be able to achieve those goals?

Sometimes you can make simple changes in your spending, but other times you may need to re-evaluate your money goals a little bit. Dunlap suggests asking, "What is the new goal that I need to set that is actually achievable?"

Sit down with your expenditures, actually find out what's left over from paycheck to paycheck after you pay your bills, and set your goals from there. Once you approach money in a way that makes sense for you, you're more likely to follow the plan.

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3. What plan am I actually gonna do to achieve those goals?

Dunlap is adamant that "a goal without a plan is just a wish." And she's right! We can hope and dream for the million dollar savings account all we want, but if we want to make that happen, then we need to kick it into high gear with some action. Not just any action either — intentional, well-thought out choices that you can put in motion with the plan you set for yourself. This could include, but isn't limited to:

Knowing what you're saving for — vacation, wedding, house, retirement, etc — and putting a name to it.
Automating your savings by having a specific amount of your paycheck deposited right into your savings account.
Setting a "going out budget" so you can still enjoy rooftop cocktails and other fun with your friends within reason and without overspending.

Looking for more money advice? Be sure to follow the conversation on Instagram!

Header image via Karolina Kaboompics

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Renée Zellwegger & Leo Woodall Prove Age Gaps Are Sexy In 'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy' Trailer

If you're a rom-com fan who also can't get enough of Jane Austen's books, you've probably seen the Bridget Jones movies. The story (which is loosely based on Pride & Prejudice) follows the titular Bridget Jones, a 30-something who sets out on a mission to improve herself over the course of a year while she looks for a partner. And, in true romantic movie form, she keeps a diary the whole time. Not only can we rewatch the original trilogy as many times as we want, but we're also getting a fourth movie! Here's everything we know about Bridget Jones 4.