Kat Stickler’s Dating Advice About Money Is Spot On
The famous social media star shares her money tip for dating as a single parent.Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah ScottCharming and hilarious TikTok star Kat Stickler was just featured on Northwestern Mutual’s new Better Way to Money podcast where she brings attention to an important topic: money conversations with your significant other—especially as a single parent.On the episode, which launched September 19, 2024, she opens up about how she’s planning for her future. A big part of that has to do with how she’s talking about finances with her partner, Jason Tartick, of Bachelorette fame.Not only have these conversations helped her plan, but they’ve also been a necessary part of their growth as a couple.
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Talking About Money With Your Partner as a Single ParentDiscussing finances can make people squirm. It can be uncomfortable because, while money shapes our world in so many ways, we're all raised with various ideas and expectations around it. But when you're thinking about blending your life with someone else, talking about finances becomes a necessity. That's perhaps never more true than when you're a single parent in a new relationship, like Stickler—she co-parents her daughter, born in 2019, with her ex-husband. The truth is, financial matters can be complicated after you have kids, and especially after a divorce. As a single mom myself, who is 100% financially independent, I know that if I was blending my life with someone, money conversations would absolutely be on the table. I'd want to know if my partner expects to split things 50/50, how they are saving for the future, and if they want to keep separate checking and savings accounts, or combine them. This is important for me, but also for my two children, 10 and 14, who will also be impacted by who I bring into their lives.Stickler, a big social media star with over 10 million followers on TikTok and an entrepreneur, feels similarly. And she highlights that it's OK to have different opinions with your partner. She says she wanted to be open with Tartick about finances, even though they don't have identical ways of dealing with it.I agree with that. I don't need to be completely aligned with a partner on financial matters to feel good about the relationship. In fact, I could use a pro-planning person's energy around me. But most importantly, I definitely want to have a clear picture of how my partner handles money, and what their expectations are. Stickler says she and Tartick have found common ground. While intimidating at first, the conversation took her relationship with her partner to the next level. "It surprised me how much closer I felt to him after," she says. "It's like a different form of intimacy."
Why It’s Important for Partners To Talk About MoneyMatt Stucky, CFA, a financial analyst also featured on the podcast, says, "If you look at sources of stress for people, money is a huge one." So, being aligned on basic financial planning is important, he explains.“Disagreements are gonna happen, but the broad strokes, the outline, the overall financial plan, that's where we've got to agree," he adds.Brian Kesler, a mortgage loan officer at Primary Residential Mortgage, agrees, telling Parents when taking major steps toward blending your lives—like buying a home—talking finances is absolutely crucial."Discussing things like credit scores, debt, income, and savings helps set clear expectations and prevents misunderstandings down the road,” he shares. “A transparent conversation builds trust and ensures both partners are on the same page about their financial health and goals."When kids are involved, those financial goals may include long-term plans, such as paying for college. Don’t forget current expenses either, like after-school activities, summer camps, and, oh yeah, those costly monthly tech subscription bills. It's critical to have these conversations as money issues can strain a relationship. Research shows 38% of divorced couples say financial problems caused their divorce, while another study specifies 40% of divorces occur because of how a spouse handled money.When Should You Talk to Your Partner About Money?There's no right time to have the conversation, says Stucky. Rather, it’s a matter of comfort. But Kesler suggests getting financial talks out of the way early on. "It may help to ease into the conversation by talking about individual financial goals and values, and working your way into specifics," he says. That can include salary and account balances. He says it's best to approach the conversation with an open mind, understanding that there is no right way to approach finances, but there is always room to compromise and grow together.When it comes to even thinking about blending my life with someone, personally, I'd opt for talking about finances early. While money may make people uncomfortable, how people handle it is a big part of a relationship, whether we like it or not. And if you need a little extra help, a financial advisor can be a good resource, as Stucky points out on the podcast. "I think parents immediately feel the expense side of raising kids—that’s diapers, food," he says. "There are some other bigger-ticket items that probably need to be planned for...advisors do a really good job of walking parents through a lot of things that they don’t think about." For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
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