Setting financial goals is one of the most powerful things a couple can do together. It turns money from something you react to into something you actively shape. But when two people with different priorities, habits, and dreams try to align on a shared financial future, it takes more than good intentions — it takes a real process. Here's how to set goals that you're both genuinely committed to, and actually follow through on.
1. Start With Your Individual Dreams
Before you can set goals together, you need to understand what each of you wants individually. Take some time — separately if needed — to think about what financial success looks like to you. Is it owning a home? Travelling the world? Retiring early? Having complete job freedom? Paying off debt? When you come back together and share those visions, you'll likely find plenty of common ground — and a few differences worth talking through. Neither person's dreams should be dismissed. The goal is to weave both visions into a shared plan.
2. Categorise Your Goals by Timeframe
Not all goals are created equal. Some are urgent, some are years away, and some are lifelong. It helps to sort your goals into three buckets — short-term (within a year), medium-term (one to five years), and long-term (five years and beyond). Short-term might be building an emergency fund or paying off a credit card. Medium-term could be saving for a house deposit or a big trip. Long-term might be retirement planning or financial independence. Having goals in each category means you're making progress on multiple fronts at once, which keeps motivation high.
3. Make Your Goals Specific and Measurable
"Save more money" is not a goal — it's a wish. "Save £500 a month into our house deposit fund so we hit £15,000 by December next year" is a goal. The more specific you are, the easier it is to build a plan around it and track your progress. Attach a number, a deadline, and a purpose to every goal you set together. Vague goals fade; concrete ones stick.
4. Build Them Into Your Budget
A goal without a budget behind it is just a dream. Once you've agreed on your priorities, make sure your monthly spending actually reflects them. Use a tool like OurWallet to track your joint spending and make sure money is flowing toward what matters most — not just disappearing into everyday expenses. If your goals aren't showing up in your budget, they won't show up in your bank account either.
5. Review and Adjust Regularly
Life changes — and so should your goals. A new job, a growing family, a shift in priorities — any of these can change what you're working toward. Set a regular time, perhaps every three to six months, to review your goals together. Celebrate what you've achieved, reassess what's changed, and reset where needed. Staying flexible keeps the plan alive and keeps both of you engaged.
The couples who thrive financially aren't the ones who never face setbacks — they're the ones who stay aligned, keep communicating, and always know what they're working toward together.
With OurWallet, tracking your shared spending and staying on top of your goals has never been easier — built for couples who are serious about their future.