Have a difficult conversation about money with someone important to you

I don’t know how we’re going to pay
next months’ mortgage.

I found it hardest to talk to others about finances when things were worse than
tight. When revenues last month were ok but this month I’ve got a customer
who’s slow in paying and I don’t know where we sort the months’ bills from.

Early on in my time working for myself, following redundancy, it was a real
challenge to work week to week and month to month to make sure bills were
paid. Worth noting at this point I had little to no goals, plans or visions and
the purpose of working for myself at this point was to prove a point to myself
and others (outside of my circle of influence) that I was good enough and
redundancy wouldn’t stop me.

So as I ran head first in to proving this point I was soon to be tripped up with
impending bills that couldn’t get paid. I kept this to myself and it was making
the guilt and anxiety boil over. I couldn’t admit defeat I felt and talking to my
wife about it would be a show of weakness that things aren’t ok and I should
go back to a proper job after all.

I know what sense of dread and guilt can feel like and encourage you all to
release the pressure and share your worries and difficulties – however big or
small they might be – and share them with someone important to you.

I found it incredibly refreshing and like a weight was lifted from my shoulders
having spoken to the wife about it after I got over myself and realise I needed
to share my concerns. It’s a conversation I’ll have with my kids as they grow
up and will continue to encourage everyone to have that conversation about
money that they might otherwise be putting off.