Are you an optimizer or simplifier?

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Figuring out how to tackle your finances as a couple can be a struggle, to put it mildly. We all come from different backgrounds and bring to our relationships different ideas and emotions around money. 

One situation I encounter often in working with Gen X couples is where one person is an optimizer and the other is a simplifier. Here’s what I mean by each of those terms:

Optimizer: Someone who is willing to invest more time into their finances in hopes of achieving a more financially optimal result.

Simplifier: Someone who prefers to keep things simple and spend less time on their finances even if it means a less than optimal financial result.

An optimizer usually wants to maximize their return on investment whereas a simplifier usually is more focused on their return on life as a whole. 

Which one are you?

And which one is your spouse or partner?

Feeling comfortable and confident about your finances requires being on the same page even when our individual tendencies might be different. 

When an optimizer knows that their spouse or partner is a simplifier, they can skip some of the details and work on sticking to the bigger picture when deciding on financial topics together. And when a simplifier realizes their spouse or partner is an optimizer, they’re likely to give them more autonomy in running things day-to-day, knowing that helps them feel more in control of their financial situation. 

As G.I. Joe taught us many years ago, knowing is half the battle. And when we’re clear how we operate best as individuals, it becomes easier to build comfort and confidence around our finances together as a couple.