In Good Times and Bad: Strengthening Your Relationship When the Going Gets Tough and the Money Gets Tight wins a prize for longest title ever. It’s also a sensible approach to dealing with and talking through relationship stress caused by money.
In three parts, 12 chapters and 260 pages, authors and spouses M. Gary Neuman and Melisa Neuman mix lessons with anecdotes from years of counseling patients. The book offers tips for how to talk to your kids about money, exercises to discover how you relate to money, and steps to talk through fights about finances.
The Neumans offer this six-step process to solving problems:
1. Discuss how you wish things had turned out.
2. Outline the way you wanted to reach your goal.
3. Talk only about what your goal is.
4. Explore every other possible way to reach this goal than the way you’ve been trying.
5. Decide whcih new, creative paths seem most likely to get you to this goal.
6. Begin putting all your energy into that new path while keeping yourself open to every other path that could get you to your goal.
Sounds like good advice! Leave a comment on this post by Thursday night to win my review copy. Or buy the book for $18.68 from Amazon.
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
Even in good times, my husband and I are on different wavelengths when it comes to money. Now we are both out of work. I’d love your copy of the book. Thanks!
The one thing we talk about the most is money, especially right now. My husband lost his job last year and ended up taking a job that was a 50% pay cut so it has been a struggle.
This sounds great! My boyfriend, of 3 years, and I share some common expenses and at times bunp heads. I especially feel the financial crunch, I was recently cut back to a 32 hour workweek. We could use a copy!
Thanks so much for sharing this book. I just recently got married in September and as much as we are trying to enjoy our newlywed period- we are completely struggling financially. We’re trying to keep smiling faces, but I am looking for new ideas to stay positive during this time while I look for job. I would love your copy of the book! Thanks.
This sounds like a good book not only for managing finances but also life-goals in general. Sounds like a great read!
This book sounds really good. I’m getting married next June and I dcefinitely think we need to read this book. Hope my library carries it.
Psychologists agree that the 2 topics most people fight about is the in-laws and Money… this is a timely read, especially now in the “Great Recession”. I hope someone who needs it most will win it. Pick a Newlywed!