Love is a boring money choice
February tells us that love should be exciting. Big gestures. Surprise spending. Something memorable enough to post about. But when it comes to money and relationships, the kind of love that lasts is usually quiet, practical and, frankly, a little boring.
Boring money choices do not make good stories. No one boasts about sticking to a budget or paying an insurance premium on time. Yet these are the decisions that protect relationships when life takes an unexpected turn. They are the choices that keep stress low and trust intact long after the flowers have wilted.
Money is one of the biggest sources of tension between people, not necessarily because there is too little of it, but because it is often managed without a clear plan. We avoid talking about it until it becomes urgent. We assume we are on the same page until we realise we are not. By then, emotions are already running high.
The most loving financial decision you can make is to remove uncertainty wherever possible. That means planning for events you hope will never happen. It means thinking about tomorrow even when today feels manageable. It means choosing stability over spontaneity more often than social media might suggest.
Real financial care looks like knowing what you can afford before committing. It looks like building savings, even if they grow slowly. It means understanding your risks instead of leaving them to chance. It is not glamorous, but it creates space for everything else in life to function more smoothly.
We often confuse financial freedom with financial flexibility. Flexibility feels exciting because it keeps options open. Freedom, however, comes from structure - from knowing that a single setback will not undo years of effort, and that you have planned ahead rather than simply hoped for the best.
This applies whether you are building a life with someone else or taking responsibility for yourself. Your future self is shaped by the decisions you make today, especially the boring ones: paying off debt, saving consistently and protecting what you have worked hard to build. These choices may not offer instant gratification, but they deliver something far more valuable: Peace of mind.
*Hileni Amadhila is a Senior Public Relations, Stakeholder and Communications Consultant at Old Mutual Namibia.
