The Art of Financial Lovemaking

By Dr. Boyce Watkins
www.FinancialLovemaking.net

People fall in love every day. Some fall in love forever, and some just love the idea of falling in love. We are all familiar with the bliss and agony of love, and our mating, dating and procreating choices define much of the quality of our earthly existence.

But many of us love in all the wrong ways and make short-term choices with serious lifelong consequences. For long-term relationships, reality eventually sets in, and we learn that LOVING together means LIVING together. The thrill you once got from a long, seductive kiss is replaced by the excitement of a good home appraisal or bank account increase. Financial insecurity and emotional insecurity become one and the same, as we find there is a strong correlation between financial deception and emotional betrayal. A big part of living is MONEY. According to a study by the Council of Relationships, money is the number one reason for divorce. This alarming reality is a strong reminder that not discussing the financial and practical dimensions of your relationship can cause you a lifetime of misery.

Some consider it taboo to discuss love and money in the same sentence. I consider it ESSENTIAL. While we might mull all day over a potential mate’s emotional compatibility, sexual compatibility, professional compatibility and spiritual compatibility, most of us don’t spend one second thinking about financial compatibility. Many couples step into serious relationships and marriage without knowing their partner’s income levels, debt levels, credit score, retirement savings, or any of the other significant pieces of information that are going to have a dramatic effect on their love life. Merging your life with a financially irresponsible person is like putting your children into a car with a drunk driver. Once you are in the car, your fates are inextricably linked.

Money plays a huge role in our quality of life, emotional well-being, ability to raise our children properly or ability to spend time together. Money can either be a tool to enhance your love or a weapon to destroy it. Many people have seen their love and relationships ruined by financial problems, financial deception or financial exploitation. How we manage, confront and conceptualize the power of money plays a huge role in how our relationships evolve. That is what Financial Lovemaking is all about.

You think money doesn’t matter in a relationship? Well, here is just a small list of ways that someone could ruin your life financially:

• A partner with horrible credit could keep you from ever getting loan.
• A partner with terrible spending habits can ruin a family’s financial security.
• A partner with a substance abuse or other costly addiction could deplete a family’s assets.
• A partner with unhealthy connections to deadbeat relatives, who always need money, may drain your assets.
• A partner with an income that is too low due to a lack of education or poor professional choices could ruin you financially.
• A partner may steal money from you or borrow it without your permission and use it for something frivolous (i.e. a bad business investment, gambling, etc.)
• A partner who makes bad financial choices may get you into trouble with the IRS.
• A partner who decides to separate from you may end up dragging you and your money through a long and costly legal battle.

I just gave you the short list of ways that money directly impacts your love life. I am sure you can think of experiences you’ve had or those of your friends. In fact, I encourage you to visit our Financial Lovemaking blog to share your personal story on how love and money have impacted your life.

I am not here there to say there’s nothing going on but the rent. However, I can say that nothing else goes on if the rent is not being paid. So, good Financial Lovemaking is necessary for good love. Don’t forget that.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with Your Partner in Ways that Feel Good.” He does regular commentary in national media, including CNN, NBC, CBS, MSNBC and BET. For more information, please visit www.FinancialLovemaking.net.

LURING YOUR BLACK ADONIS

It’s Saturday night. You spent all day getting your hair, nails, and outfit together to shine your radiance during a night on the town. You look good, smell good. You’re on a mission to find that strong, hard-working, loyal, assertive Adonis a woman of your stature deserves. You do your part and arrive looking like nothing less than an Ebony Fashion Fair runway model. You go to work quickly and scout the talent and strategically place yourself just on his radar.

There he is…your Black Adonis: Blue pinstripe suit, polished Donald Pliner loafers, muscular frame, beautiful smile, initialed cufflinks, and largest hands you’ve ever seen holding Crown Royal and the keys to your heart. You start the dance by making soft eye contact, slightly parting your thick, full lips, and arching your back and positioning every part of your body in his direction. He dances back, smiling with direct eye contact, obviously studying the pretty feet framed within a very strong shoe game up to your neck line that showcase complimentary accessories fir for Nubian royalty. He takes a purposeful sip of cognac and smoothly slides his keys into his pants to hide his carnal attraction for you.

At the height of the airy electricity, IT happens again…some dummy with no style ask for your number. “Not again”, you think. You spent all your energy on MR. RIGHT just to be approached by an undesirable shadow of the man you want and deserve. Before you know it MR. RIGHT is gone or has the attention of another woman-and not even one of your caliber. “Great”, you think. Ultimately, you go home feeling more disappointed than when you arrived because you tasted electricity, chemistry, and adventure but didn’t have the opportunity to seal the deal to enjoy your Mandingo treat later on. The WRONG GUY ruined it for you again!

Why allow this to happen to you ever again?

It doesn’t have to if you are willing to infuse some modern day rule changes for dating. Yes, it’s unconventional but gets results every time.

Ladies, I propose the end of waiting for MR. RIGHT to approach you. Instead, take a position that affords you full control and eliminates the distractions and unwelcome suitors that are sure to spoil your pursuit of happiness and chocolate fulfillment. Put that model strut to work and do what a Black woman is supposed to…with all the elegance, beauty, and supreme attraction power of Queen Cleopatra herself, introduce yourself as his date for the next few minutes. Flash that millionaire smile, use your feminine wilds, and charm his socks off.
Trust me, he’ll be pursuing you one minute in the conversation. If you play your cards right, you’ll convey a message of, “A queen is interested in you, pursuing accordingly.” Remember, no negative thoughts, opting instead for projecting only confidence and Diva-licious attitude that brings all men to their collective knees.

I wish a God fearing, beautiful, mocha-colored sister with nice full lips, curvaceous hips, soft hands, and a unquenched desire to love, support, and spoil a do right man would approach me. I can promise that she would be in rare air because all of my attention would be focused on her. So, my chocolate queens, go claim your prize. Next weekend, you’ll be telling your girlfriends that you’re staying in again because Mr. Pinstripe will be serving up enough stimulating conversation, humor, and spine-tingling [you-fill-in-the-blank] that you won’t even think about the club again!

Dr. Tartt is a motivational speaker, author of the soon to be released relationship survival guide, THE RING FORMULA: How to Marry MR. RIGHT, and positive psychologist. For more information about Dr. Tartt please visit his website at http://www.drtartt.com/.