USAA - Spring 2015 - (Page 22)

NEXT STEPS Tying the Financial Knot Get tools to help you prep for the big money merger. Learn more together at usaa.com/ marriage 22 USA A SPRING 2015 ' Don t be swayed by Pinterest max & k a e ly n dr e s se r MEMBERS SINCE 2011 "A top habit of successful couples is talking about money," says Ingrid Bruns, director of military life advice with USAA. "That means discussing your attitudes, beliefs and behaviors about money, as well as communicating a commitment to a budget." Bruns recommends ways newlyweds can plan a path to marital bliss - or at least financial harmony. Free financial assessment Take stock of where you and your new spouse stand financially. USAA's online assessment asks questions about the building blocks of your financial plan, such as budgeting, saving, debt management and insurance. Then the tool makes personalized recommendations to help you shore up weak spots and protect your new family's way of life. Goals planning tool Every couple has dreams for the future. This tool, available online and on the USAA Mobile App, helps you translate those desires into realistic financial goals and monitor your progress. Whether you're setting money aside for a new car or thinking decades ahead to retirement, it can also help you decide how much to save, how often and through which types of accounts. Bruns also encourages newlyweds to update their personal profiles on usaa.com* in order to receive advice articles and product recommendations tailored to their needs. *Providing USA A with this information is strictly voluntar y. PHOTOGR APHS COURTESY OF THE DRESSERS Daniel Ciullo reversed that tradition and became engaged only after setting aside $10,000 for their wedding. Even so, they quickly learned they needed to find ways to maximize their budget. Their first decision was "not to invite everyone under the sun," so they trimmed their guest list to include about 100 friends and family members who were fixtures in their lives. Their next challenge was finding a venue in Orlando, Florida, with a rental fee that wouldn't swallow half their budget. The historic Dubsdread Ballroom provided the solution with a more modest $1,000 charge. Pine floors made renting a dance floor unnecessary, and an on-site caterer made food choices easy. Setting up the bar in an adjoining room tempered alcohol consumption. They stretched their dollars further by splitting the cost of lantern centerpieces with a friend who had used the decorations at her reception. A wholesale florist supplied flowers, and bridesmaids had a "bonding moment" making their own bouquets after a nail salon trip. "There's nothing we sacrificed for our wedding," Lauren says. "We just set a budget and stuck to it." Most importantly, they never failed to ask for a discount. "With every single vendor we used, we http://usaa.com/marriage?wa_ref=USAAmag http://www.usaa.com http://usaa.com/marriage?wa_ref=USAAmag

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USAA - Spring 2015