Married / No Kids Series: Going Back to School
Married couples often suffer challenging periods in their relationship – even without children – as they learn how to compromise. One tough goal to compromise about is going back to school.
Many times, both partners don’t agree when the time is right to pursue an education. However, before one partner turns down the suggestion, it’s worthwhile to discuss this in detail.
Who Will Pay for School?
Probably the biggest question to explore is who will be paying for school. If both partners are working, it may be possible for the spouse who is attending school to pay for everything. However, if the other spouse has to pay, there may be a conflict as to whether the school is worth the cost.
How Will School Affect the Daily Schedule?
Another potential issue associated with going back to school is how doing so will affect the couple’s daily lives. For instance, if the two of you are used to sitting down to dinner at 5 p.m. everyday, but now one partner will be in school three evenings every week, this may cause conflict. It’s important to sit down and determine just what changes may ensue as a result of one partner attending school, including house chores, meals, and more.
Will Joint Income be Affected?
If one spouse decides to go back to school full time and stop working, you may have to drop your joint income down to one. How will this affect your ability to pay existing bills? Also, is it possible that after graduation, your spouse will be able to bring the joint income back to at least the same level as before?
Going back to school is a very rewarding experience, but when a spouse is included, doing so might be a little bit more challenging. However, if you work together, you can surely come to an agreement that works for both of you.
