When Tariffs Become Marital Strife
Dear Gracelyn: My partner and I are arguing more about our financial challenges, which are even more stressful with the increased cost brought on by the tariffs, any suggestions?
Andrea K – The Town of the Blue Mountains
Dear Andrea,
Ah, financial stress in relationships—nature’s way of testing if “for richer or poorer” was just a cute line you repeated without reading the fine print!
When money’s tight and tariffs are making everything from avocados to cell phones cost more than your first car, arguments tend to bloom like weeds in an untended garden. You’re not just fighting about money—you’re fighting about safety, security, and who ate the last affordable snack in the pantry.
The good news? Financial stress is one of the most common relationship challenges. The bad news? That doesn’t make it any less painful when you’re debating whether “needs” include that streaming service you’ve watched exactly twice this year.
Consider approaching your financial challenges as a unified team facing a common enemy (namely, inflation and those pesky tariffs) rather than opponents in economic cage match. Schedule money talks during non-crisis moments, preferably with snacks present (everything’s better with cheese), and remember that sometimes the most romantic three words aren’t “I love you” but “you were right.”
And if all else fails, remember that arguing burns calories, which means you’re saving money on gym memberships! See? Silver linings everywhere.
Do the best you can,
