As for future financial goals, Jay and I have agreed to save up for a bigger place on the off chance we decide to have kids; if this happens, we're aware we’ll have only one income to rely on. But in the meantime, what happens if I want to go part-time or retrain completely, which could mean taking a temporary or even permanent pay cut? How do couples navigate decisions that could change their overall income? Saddington says the trick to approaching these conversations is to use the "I" word. "You could say, 'I think this, I want this, I think you get upset when I talk about X and Y and Z.' It doesn’t feel aggressive and the person can respond to it appropriately. It allows you to listen more to the conversation," he advises. "Most people fall into a trap where they don’t listen to what the other person says." He also recommends basing conversations and arguments on facts. You won’t be able to look at how much money goes in and out unless you have all the facts and figures, so make sure you both come armed with this information.