What is a money date and how often should we have one?

A money date is a recurring, low-pressure time you set aside – alone or with a partner – to review spending, reconcile the budget, check progress on goals, and handle any upcoming bills or decisions. Weekly works well for active budgeting: a 20-minute Sunday check-in to see where categories stand catches overspending while there's still time to adjust. Monthly suits people on autopilot who just need to confirm everything ran as planned. For couples, the regularity matters more than the length, because consistent small conversations prevent the big blowup arguments. Keep it pleasant – a coffee, no blame – and start with wins before problems. Put it on the calendar as a standing appointment so it actually happens, and use the same agenda each time so it gets fast.