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Besides infidelity, the fastest way to end a relationship is to avoid communicating about money. Monetary choices reflect a person’s values, like trust or greed, and relationships can only survive if values are aligned. According to Capital One Canada and Credit Canada, eight in 10 couples fight about money and 48 per cent feel their partner’s attitude towards money is different from their own. Financial incompatibility breaks up the majority of Canadian marriages. But, sadly, couples downgrade the importance of ‘money matters’ below wedding planning, changing diapers, and building a happy future.

Stop your relationship from hitting the rocks and start talking about money. Learn about your partner’s financial philosophy and work to align goals. Grab a coffee, get comfy and turn off your phone. Avoid finger pointing, stick to the facts and focus on solutions. If you press each other’s buttons, back off, cool down, find out why and keep the conversation respectful.

Gain an understanding of the origin of your partner’s financial views. Most 20 to 30-somethings have received little professional advice, limited financial education, and their parents have had the greatest monetary influence followed by friends. Chat about what was learned at home or school and what influence it’s had.

Next, sharpen your money savvy together by reading and discussing financial books like Smart Couple’s Finish Rich, Rich by 40, Millionaire Next Door, and Wealthy Barber. Then, cozy up to your laptop, and visit personal finance sites like www.moneyville.ca and www.finance.yahoo.com.

Foundation

Marriage counselors agree; teamwork and financial boundaries are critical when planning your future with someone. Though you may not like to deal with financial matters, it’s irresponsible to ignore them. You don’t want to find yourself in a bad financial position you weren’t aware you were creating. Swap financial chores or take on new ones each week like paying the bills online, negotiating interest rates, monitoring the budget or collecting receipts to track your spending.

Budget

Overspending causes severe arguments and stems from unclear financial boundaries. The saver, for example, may feel their financial security is being jeopardized by their partner’s shoe fetish. Tell your partner how debt impacts you emotionally and financially. If you’re angry about how you got into debt, air your grievances. Agree on what’s worth going into debt for in the future and how you plan to reduce it now. And, don’t hide debt from your partner.

Sticking to an agreed-upon budget allows you to spend less time worrying about money, and more time on your relationship. It’s a tool to track income and expenses, set boundaries, and support your financial goals. And, rather than being restrictive, incorporate affordable fun.

Avoid finger pointing and stick to tried-and-true budget principles – spend less than you make and before you pay bills, save at least 10% for yourself.

Develop a Plan

A written financial plan keeps couples accountable for their actions and focused on achieving dreams. It details goals and strategies for saving, spending, income and asset growth, debt reduction, insurance, estate planning and taxes. Start talking about your dreams for children, homes, retirement, etc; then break your dreams into realistic steps. Start taking action.

Follow these five planning principles:

1. Grow net worth through debt reduction and asset growth
2. Set specific, measurable, realistic and timely goals
3. Protect what you’re building (a will and insurance)
4. Implement your strategy
5. Evaluate your progress.

Financial planning advice from a professional, like a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), helps couples avoid arguments and form a holistic plan.

Together, interview at least three reputable financial planners, get proposals, pick the one most aligned with your goals and start planning.

Respectful communication and team work keeps your relationship healthy and focused on achieve dreams. If you’re stuck in a rut, get help; see an advisor or couple’s counselor.

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Salary may not be the only thing you care about, but it’s a top priority in terms of your financial health. An extra $5,000 could mean more money for you so you can build your net worth….and have more financial flexibility in the long term.

Whether you’re thinking of changing employers or staying put, here are some tips to maximize your salary.

Tip 1: Stick to the facts
Avoid comparing your salary and benefits to family members or friends. If you’re not in the same industry, occupation or city, you’re comparing apples to oranges.

Research comparable salaries for comparable jobs where you live. Remember to evaluate the complete picture – salary is only one part of a total compensation package– there are other factors to consider such as benefits, stock options, retirement plans, etc. Start your research by checking out the current salary bands for various jobs levels at your current employer. Then move on to 3rd party sources like Monster.ca, Workopolis, or Payscale.com. If you belong to an association or alumni group, check whether they’ve got research on salaries and benefits you can review.

As you consider the salary you think you deserve, be realistic about how much relevant experience and education you have. Less experience typically translates into less salary, but perhaps more training and development opportunities

Research the demand for your skills. If you’ve got a skill that employers want, you’ll see job postings. On the flip side, if you see a posting for a job you want, study up on the skills that are required. You may need to invest in developing new skills.

It never hurts to get advice and facts from a recruiter that specializes in your line of work. They’ll discuss your resume, help you prep for interviews, give you current information on salaries and they’ll tell you straight up how marketable your skills are and whether they think your job and salary expectations are in line with reality.

Tip 2: Set Goals

Once you’ve got your facts straight, and you think you know what you’re worth, set a realistic goal before you go in for negotiations. Perhaps you want a raise of 3 to 5% of your salary. Or, you may wish to focus on an actually number like $5,000. If you’re going to be negotiating on a job offer, ensure your goal is a salary range. Every company’s policies are different.

Tip 3: Techniques to the Negotiation

Don’t get upset. Just getting up the courage to negotiate sets you apart from your peers. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 33% of people say they’re freaked out about negotiations, so they don’t do it even though 80% of recruiters and managers are willing to negotiate .

It can be hard to find the right words when you’re asking for more money. Playing hardball in a negotiation rarely wins. So, stick to the facts and try to be collaborative. Don’t beg and don’t whine. Avoid making unquantifiable statements or comparison. Be professional.

Focus the conversation on how valuable your contributions are to the organization. Talk about the experiences you’ve had to date plus what you plan to do in the future. Hint; if you want more money, you’re probably going to have to take on more responsibility. It can be very helpful to present information on competitive salaries and positions, based on the research you’ve done before.

Timing is important. There are better times than others to discuss money. Don’t barge into your boss’s office right asking for a raise after they’ve had a hectic day. Wait until you’ve both got some time to sit down and talk. It’s also nice to give your boss a heads-up about the money topic so that they aren’t caught off guard. This gives both of you time to prepare. They may need to chat with their boss or an HR advisor as to salary and benefit policies. When was the last time you sat down with your boss for a performance review? That’s an optimal time to negotiate your salary.

If you’re interviewing, avoid talking about salary expectations in the first half of your interview. These discussions are usually held in the middle or near the end. Why? Because when you’re interviewing you need at least half if not more of that time to prove to your potential employer that you’re worth it.

Be flexible as you negotiate. If your employer or potential employer can’t pull through with exactly the salary you want try to negotiate for greater benefits, a bigger training and development budget or more time off. Suggest a pay for performance, bonus or commission structure. You can even negotiate to have your salary reviewed more often – 6 months vs. 12 months down the road.

If you feel it’s appropriate, get a few different offers. This gives you more bargaining power.

Raises and job opportunities can take some time to come to fruition. Be realistically patient and use the time to sharpen your skills. Going forward, do everything you can to enhance your person brand and contribution to the organization. That way you’re more marketable in good times and bad.

Strengthening your core is about more than going for washboard abs – though a six-pack doesn’t hurt. Having a strong core reduces the likelihood of other injuries and lower back pain while stabilizing your spine. For this month’s Deskercise, we offer a few quick moves for your core.

In last month’s Unlimited Michael Brechtel graced us with a most excellent article on guerilla marketing. This month Unlimited discusses the best and worst examples of guerilla marketing with the advertising commentator and industry insider.

Strengthening your core is about more than going for washboard abs – though a six-pack doesn’t hurt. Having a strong core reduces the likelihood of other injuries and lower back pain while stabilizing your spine. For this month’s Deskercise, we offer a few quick moves for your core.

To view the interactive version, click here.

1. Simplify your to-do list with “I will do one thing today” stickies from Pretty Bitter.

2. Take a sabbatical to reset your creativity and improve your work. For encouragement, watch über designer Stefan Sagmeister’s TED talk about the power of time off.

3. There is a time and a place for a stiff drink. The time: Friday at 4 p.m. The place: your office. This break made possible by a desktop cocktail chemistry set.

4. Make a mind map. This is not an extracurricular activity at Burning Man. Mind mapping uses visual brainstorming to think about a topic – say, how to ask for a raise – when you’re lost for words.

5. You probably spend more time in your office chair than you do in your bed, so get a good chair. The classic Aeron chair will keep you nimble, help prevent lower back pain and last you through many job changes. Take it with you when you move on to your next one.

6. Eat breakfast – even if you don’t want to. A little nosh first thing in the morning will improve your performance at work and make you less likely to overeat later in the day.

7. Sweeten up your next presentation with a chocolate pie chart.

8. Give and ye shall receive. Volunteering has inherent personal benefits, of course. Giving your time can also be a good way to expand your network – and maybe even find a new calling.

9. Follow your passion. For inspiration, read musician Kris Demeanor’s award-winning story, “Get a Real Job.”

10. Words to live and work by: “I don’t think you need to keep rehearsing your instincts. Far better to seek out models of what you can’t do.” – John Updike

11. Deskercise! Unlimited’s personal trainer lays out the moves to keep you fit at work.

12. Ignore everybody. Find this and other keys to creativity in Hugh MacLeod’s cartoons, which he doodles on the backs of business cards.

13. Sometimes the world is too complex to render in mere words. Enter London-based author-designer David McCandless’ clever book Visual Miscellaneum. Think of it as a visual coffee break.

14. Save money. Not as simple as it sounds, but our Rich by Thirty columnist has suggestions on how to build a reserve. Because someday you will want to retire.

15. When it comes to workplace philosophy, we defer to Groucho Marx: “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others.” In other words, be flexible.

16. Don’t check email first thing in the morning. E-interruptions will only bog you down and make you less productive. Get started on your real work and clear through the little stuff later.

17. While the Japanese have codified the business card exchange to a high art, North Americans treat it more like speed-dating. Enter this stylish Russell+Hazel binder solution. Fill it with three-ring note pages and schedulers to track contacts, die-cut pages to hold business cards and record handwritten notes, making meaningful follow-up a snap.

18. To reduce stress and improve focus, take a deep breathe. Really. Sit up straight and breath deeply from your diaphragm, just below your lungs. Repeat as needed.

19. What goes around comes around, so recycle your gadgets. An estimated 140,000 tonnes of e-waste is dumped in landfills in Canada each year. Donate your old cellphones and computers to groups like the Canadian Diabetes Association’s Project Redial.

20. Have experience? Become a mentor.

21. We’re firm subscribers to the maxim, “There is no such thing as too many books.” Books for learning, books for escaping, books for… see, we get carried away. Where better to put all those books than on Ikea’s classic Billy bookcase? To celebrate Billy’s 30th birthday, Ikea has created a bunch of decorative options. Cheap, cheerful and perfect for the home office.

22. The Philanthropist Briefcase from Apolis Activism re-imagines what has long been a symbol of corporate mores. (In fact, the word briefcase is related in etymology to the word budget.) Apolis Activism’s limited edition cases use cotton from independent farmers in Northern Uganda, and are just one example of a gift that gives and receives.

23. If you’re self-employed or run a business on the side, go to Moo for customized business cards.

24. Smile! ’Nuff said. U

Chances are, you sit in a chair all day. For those whose only exercise is walking to the photocopier, here are a few leg moves to get you going. There’s the mountain climber to keep you light on your feet but quick on your toes. It’s followed by “tuck ins,” to build strength in your legs. Then I’ve added the Alan Wells, a stomach crunch named after the Scottish Olympian. This is one of the best sit-ups you can do.

The exercises won’t take long, so give them your all. If your co-workers gather around you to stare while you build that six-pack, just hum a few lines of the Belle & Sebastian song “I’m a Cuckoo.” The video featured Wells.

To see other exercises you can do at work, visit the Deskercise blog.) U

As the shortest day of the year approaches, it’s easy to fall into a fall funk. This month’s Deskercise offers a few quick moves that will get the blood flowing and perk you up on even the sleepiest day.

First, rid yourself of inhibitions and take off that suit jacket. If you’re at all shy you might want to close the door to your office.

We start with jumping burpies (remind you of kindergarten?) and then move on to jump squats. Both are sure to get you through the short, grey days.) To see other exercises you can do at work, visit the Deskercise blog.) U

The Economic Action Plan is generating a lot of hype and even comes with a cheery website that’s reminiscent of those ParticipACTION campaigns for grade-school kids. It’s all with the aim of stimulating the economy by putting money back into the hands of individuals and companies. Think of it as your own personal stimulus package through such things as lower federal income taxes (yay!) and benefits for first-time homeowners.

But this isn’t a hand-out. In this podcast, I talk about how the action plan affects gen-y and millennials: what’s good, what’s bad and what you should know before you sign up for some of the special programs. Plus, I talk about changes to the Home Buyers’ Plan – a must-listen if you’re shopping around for your first home.

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Links: Online with the Feds

Check out some of the websites below for in-depth details about incentives for individuals and companies, along with links to all of the Government of Canada’s various websites.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan

Action Plan: What’s in it for you
This section is geared at individuals and families and has dedicated sections for students and “workers.” The worker section covers everything from personal tax relief for individuals to the government’s wage earner protection program.

Home Renovation Tax Credit

Project Map
This Google maps lays out stimulus projects across the country, including a $5-million Artic Research Infrastructure Fund in the Far North to an Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership.

Pmwebphotos’ photostream
Did you know that Stephen Harper has a Flickr page? You’ll find numerous photo ops, including those for the Action Plan. U