All relationships require regular maintenance to grow and thrive.  This means cultivating love through positive thoughts, actions and quality time together.

You can create your own love story by following these suggestions to get closer to your money.  

Get to know your money intimately

Invest time understanding your current financial position. Construct a one-page statement that lists how much you own, owe, earn and need.  Then become as familiar with these numbers as you are with your own mobile number.

Check your online bank balances weekly.  Do this and you'll have much better understanding of where your income goes.

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Communication is key

Be conscious of the language you use when talking about money with your friends; it's just as important as your inner self talk. Speak positively and encouragingly about your money, super, income and investments rather than disrespecting them, or talking negatively behind their back.

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Make a date

Once a fortnight, set a "date night" to spend time focusing solely on your money and learning more about finance. Having one-on-one time with your money will improve your intimacy, familiarity and knowledge of your finances. This means quality time, ladies. Not while watching The Bachelor.

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Make it a priority

Life is busy and as women, we get pulled in all directions which can distract us from less immediately pressing issues. Like anything worth having, you need to decide to make your finances an important part of your life. Prioritise it on your ‘to do’ list and express gratitude and appreciation for what you have in order to receive more.

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Plan a long future together

Money will be with you, one way or another, for your whole life. So, you may as well have a mindset conducive to it being a positive and rewarding lifelong relationship. Create a long-term plan to manage it well and bring more into your life.

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Celebrate successes

We have a tendency to focus on the negative and downplay the really awesome things we’ve accomplished. Give yourself a pat on the back and acknowledge the good things you’ve achieved with your finances. Reward yourself (in moderation, of course) and share your success with friends, family and on Facebook.

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Be lighthearted

Finances don't always have to be dead serious. Money is simply a medium of exchange, so have some fun with it. If you keep statements in folders or boxes, why not make them bright and cheerful with your favourite colours?  

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Show respect

Do you know any relationship that works without respect? No? Well, don’t take your money for granted. Look at your purse. Are your notes simply stuffed in there alongside receipts, cards and other stuff, or are they neatly arranged? Do you leave scrunched up notes or statements lying around your house or car, or is it all safe in one place?

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Be Honest

Managing your money may require short-term pain for long-term gain. A change in lifestyle today could make for a happier you in five year’s time.

Be honest and fess up to friends and family about your new saving aspirations or goal. If you’re starting from a place of debt and despair, share your worries with someone you trust and can be accountable to. Honesty pays.

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Life-time Commitment

Think about this as ‘for better or for worse’. Relationships are rarely steady, they move up and down. Sometimes they are fun and exciting, and other times they just move quietly in the background. The same is true of your relationship with money—it won’t be sunshine and rainbows all the time, but choose to love it anyway.  

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My final piece of advice is to develop a money relationship built on respect and positivity, rather than fear and anxiety.  If you love and respect money, it will grow and love you back. I promise.