Financially stable before marriage?

[Penspringz]

How important do you think it is to be financially stable before you tie the knot?
I hear so many people say that they want a house, a car, a stable job etc. before they get married but the problem with that is that we will always find something that we think we need to have before we get married and if we are not careful we will never be ready.

Are there ceryain things which are basic that one should have before they can consider marriage? If so, what are they? Of course this will be a very subjective topic but I am interested to hear your thoughts. I want to try an restrict this to material possesions rather than it being about maturity or age etc.

 

[Shonni]

Well it's very important for both parties to have good to excellent credit scores. If not then once married the party with bad score can take the other partner down financially. If one partner has to boot everything, buying a new car, new home, insurance because they have the best score, all is based on your credit rating. Paying huge down payment and high interest rates just because your SO didn't pay their credit card bills and is constantly blowing up every check they get can be a bad deal. Alot of folk don't realize it's important to be financially stable before entering a marriage. I learned my lesson with my ex-husband. I'm still paying for it

 

[Leslie_C]

My hubby and I didnt have ish before marriage lol. I love that we have been able to learn and grow together and make it through the broke times. When we met, I was an LPN..he was fresh out of the Air Force and having trouble finding a decent job. But we were in love and thats what mattered most. So during the time we have been together, I finished my RN, and he graduates from his program in September and his school has a 98% job placement rate. So it was worth the sacrifice to work through the hard times together. We feel like we are well on our way. We have a little one on the way, and are looking to buy a house in the next 6 months to a year. We would love to buy before the baby comes, but all the cards would have to fall just right so lets see what God's plan is. It has fallen into place pretty well and Im pretty confident it will continue to do so. I hope we can at least buy a home by the time the baby is walking.

If I had looked at hubby only as what he looked like on paper, I wouldnt have seen him for the wonderful man he is. Im glad I was able to look past him not being able to offer me the best life has to give from day one. We are working for it together. I wouldnt have it any other way, but I joke with him that if I was gonna marry a white man, he was supposed to have money and good credit lol.

 

[Farida]

I think the most important thing is to handle your debt. Student loans, mortgages, car notes are okay. But stuff like credit cards etc, it is best if you get your ish together first.

 

[Makenzie]

To me having the material possessions before marriage is not important. I am more interested in not if you have a car but why dont you? If you tell me cuz your credits bad, your car got repossessed, you need someone to cosign those are red flags to me. Now if you say I can't afford it now because I'm paying back xyz loan, concentrating on xyz or saving my money then I'd be okay with that.

 

[Ramya]

Well if that's the case I won't be married before I'm 50 b/c I will have like $100,000 worth of student loans when I finish school and my husband probably will too. I figure financial responsibility is important. I'm more concerned with the way they handle their finances than the actual amount of debt. We will be seeing a financial advisor before we get married anyway as a part of our premarital counseling. He doesn't have to already own a house and all that other jazz but he needs to have potential.

 

[ChasingBliss]

My hubby and I didnt have ish before marriage lol. I love that we have been able to learn and grow together and make it through the broke times. When we met, I was an LPN..he was fresh out of the Air Force and having trouble finding a decent job. But we were in love and thats what mattered most. So during the time we have been together, I finished my RN, and he graduates from his program in September and his school has a 98% job placement rate. So it was worth the sacrifice to work through the hard times together. We feel like we are well on our way. We have a little one on the way, and are looking to buy a house in the next 6 months to a year. We would love to buy before the baby comes, but all the cards would have to fall just right so lets see what God's plan is. It has fallen into place pretty well and Im pretty confident it will continue to do so. I hope we can at least buy a home by the time the baby is walking.

If I had looked at hubby only as what he looked like on paper, I wouldnt have seen him for the wonderful man he is. Im glad I was able to look past him not being able to offer me the best life has to give from day one. We are working for it together. I wouldnt have it any other way, but I joke with him that if I was gonna marry a white man, he was supposed to have money and good credit lol.

It's good that you can see things like that. It appears you have a good heart. Wishing you a long happy marriage.