MONEY GAME: Naked Money Talks with the Honey
Just in the nick of time… a personal finance book that realistically covers how to talk money with your honey, and with a catchy, sexy title perfect for Valentine’s Day this Monday. The title is Get Financially Naked – a clever take on naked money talks style finance and sex together in the same title. Works for us.
This book could do it for you as well, from learning when to broach the subject of credit scores (yes, really) in your relationship to how to handle moving forward with the partner you already have (and the money issues you have together). We gathered a few questions together and posed them by phone to Manisha Thakor, co-author of Get Financially Naked – How to Talk Money with Your Honey.
We’ve been around the block in terms of finances and naked money talks. We thought we knew what the author would say, but ended up learning a thing or two. See how you do.
Test Your Couples and Finances IQ
[See the answers at the end of this article – no cheating.]
Q: When dating someone, when should you first talk money?
Q: How should you bring the subject up?
This book, by co-authors Ms. Thakor (based in Houston and Santa Fe) and Sharon Kedar (based in San Francisco), is a gem of a book – easy to digest, light on the eyes. But don’t let the cleverness stop you. To talk money between couples is a real “hot button.” It didn’t get to be the #1 stressor in a marriage for no reason. As Ms. Thakor explained to us, being aware and sensitive to your partner’s financial hot buttons is the only way you will get any kind of “mutual satisfaction” when discussing money.
All bad puns aside, we soon found out Ms. Thakor knows her stuff, and is more than willing to stick her neck out and speak up for equal pay, working women’s rights and bring up not just problems and statistics – but real solutions to issues women face financially every day at work and in relationships.
Who is Behind this Book?
Ever since her days as a successful portfolio manager (she’s a CFA, with an MBA from Harvard, just like her co-author), she has been observing women with high salaries struggle as much as their poorer counterparts. She’s quick on the draw when asked how women are faring these days. “Three out of five women earn less than $30K,” she quotes from WISER (Women’s Institute For A Secure Retirement). Although Ms. Thakor has enjoyed a successful career, she is aware of financial needs for a broad spectrum of women, and sees herself as helping “all working women better manage their money.” This book, as well as the two authors’ previous book for women, On My Own Two Feet, bears that out.
GAME: Play Where’s George?
And Now, the Answers…
Q: When dating someone, when should you first bring up finances?
A: “It’s personal, but if you are comfortable taking your clothes off in front of someone, then you should think about getting financially naked as well.”
Q: How should you bring the subject up?
A: “There are two easy ways in the book — 1) Financial Foreplay, and 2) Taking the Financial Compatibility Quiz”
Get the Book HERE on Amazon
Long-termers: Is Money (Still) an Issue?
For those in long-term relationships, where money is an “issue” now and again:
Q: Any new tips on how to talk to your long-term partner/spouse about finances?
A: “Have a regular Finance Checkup with each other, preferably at least once a year. Also try using ‘we,’ rather than ‘you’ or ‘I’, which sounds less accusatory.”
Q: Anything else to add to help couples talk about money?
A: “Partner with each other. This economy has been the best thing in bringing ‘the pink elephant in the bedroom’ out into the open.”
We wholeheartedly agree – and by the way, Happy Valentine’s Day.
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