This piece is part of my 2016–2026 archive migration. Some original formatting, content, and external links may be missing, changed, or not be optimized.

1 – Six Figures Doesn’t Mean Sh*t

You might earn six figures but still struggle to manage your money properly.

It doesn’t matter how much money you earn.

If you don’t manage the little amount you have, you won’t properly manage when you earn a higher amount.

I cannot share finances with someone until they learn how to handle them properly.

If your partner is still learning how to manage their money, hold off on mixing the finances until they learn how to manage their own money.

Would you be comfortable allowing an incompetent financial manager to manage your money?

The same applies to your relationships.
#2 One Partner’s Financial Intelligence Isn’t Enough

If one partner is good with money, but the other isn’t, this is not healthy.

At some point, the weaker person will affect your financial standing.

If you’re dating someone who doesn’t have their financial sh*t together, at some point it will clash with your financial goals and what you two can accomplish together unless they get on board and invest in their financial education or allow you to handle their money (which they shouldn’t).

It’s important that both parties understand money and manage it wisely, so both parties maintain their financial independence and can both bring financial strengths to the relationship.
#3 Nice Cars Don’t Mean Squat

Whether your partner gets a new car every couple of years, drives a six-figure vehicle, or drives a dump doesn’t matter if they don’t know how to manage their money properly.

Nice cars look great but mean very little in the end game.

What’s most important is what is your partner’s expense ratio, debt load, car payment (if they have one), and credit score are.

Does your partner have an emergency fund and retirement savings plan in place?
#4 Most People Can’t Cover Emergencies

Whether you’re earning seven, six, five, four, or three figures seems irrelevant in this world because many people still cannot afford a $500 emergency.

Financial preparation is underrated.

Yet, it matters because one emergency can wipe you out financially or cause a radical increase in your debt load.

Both parties need to have their own emergency funds and a shared emergency fund that is not readily available to spend (the harder it is to access the money, the better).
#5 Credit Cards Will Destroy You

Credit cards are nice.

They provide you with free money upfront, but it always comes at a price if you decide not to pay it back at the end of the billing cycle.

Vigilantly watch your credit cards to ensure you’re not overspending and can pay that bill at the end of the month.

Aim never to spend more than 10–30% of your total credit card limit; this way, you can easily pay back any amount you spend.

Once you start climbing above that 30% threshold, you start to enter the danger zone, which can be challenging to come back from.

This content is for informational purposes only — not professional advice. Consult a qualified professional before making any major decisions.