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Meet, Pay, Love: a new podcast taking the taboo out of talking money with your partner

@EQUITYMATES|5 February, 2021

We’re taught that it’s impolite to talk about money and finances. So naturally, we never learn how to navigate these conversations. But it’s kind of important to be open and honest when it comes to money and love.

20% of relationships end because of money issues and financial stress is the top concern for 36% of couples. Have we become so well-trained in politeness that we have instinctively given up the skills required to engage in discussions of finances with our partners?

A 2015 study found that most relationship conflicts could be traced back to failing to communicate effectively about finances, with more than 55% of couples admitting that they don’t have meaningful discussions about money with their partners.

These statistics beg the question, how do we break the cycle of taboo when it comes to relationships and money?

Sisters Carmel, 26 and Zoe, 24 have set out to solve this problem and provide millennials with the resources and tools they need to start having these important conversations. ‘Meet, Pay, Love’ is the latest podcast by Equity Mates Media hosted by two powerhouse women coming to your ears this month.

Carmel-MPL
Carmel
Zoe

The idea for ‘Meet, Pay, Love’ was sparked by Carmel, a commercial property lawyer based in Melbourne, Victoria.

‘Working in family law, it’s my job to settle property disputes. I regularly see couples who have built wealth together, also have more wealth to divide at the end of a relationship – and this can be messy,’ Carmel explains. More often than not, couples are unprepared to engage in conversations of a fiscal nature.

Carmel also noticed that in her own circle of girlfriends, money and finances was something that never came up in discussion. On the contrary, ‘Our boyfriends talk about investing and money openly with their friends,’ she explains.

The obvious disparity between Carmel’s male and female friends, coupled with the clear skills gap amongst couples was an opportunity to create ‘an engaging and safe space to educate and normalise conversations and expectations around money in relationships,’ she says.

Her observations are accurate, with data showing that women are less likely to feel comfortable or equipped with the knowledge to talk about money or finances with their partners compared to men. In fact, one survey showed that 61% of women would rather talk about their own death than money!

There’s a lot of truth to such a bizarre statistic – when it comes to relationships, most of us haven’t been given the knowledge or skills to have important conversations and finances. ‘While money is at the centre of every aspect of relationships; joint accounts, shared bills, lifestyle choices, holidays and so on – no one ever talks about it!’ says Zoe.

The initial concept for ‘Meet, Pay, Love’ gained traction during Melbourne’s arduous COVID lockdown last year, when Zoe and Carmel say their interest in money and finance was heightened by simply having more time to invest (pardon the pun) in their own financial literacy. The pair both spent much of lockdown listening to Australia’s #1 investing podcast, Equity Mates.

Both sisters, having unearthed a passion for investing and financial prowess, also unlocked a new and unexplored aspect of their personal relationships – openly and effectively broaching the topic of finances with their boyfriends.

After seeding the idea with Zoe, Carmel decided it was time to bring the podcast to life, and what better way to launch a podcast than to join the investing community that spurred on their own passion for finance – Equity Mates.

‘I sent Bryce a Facebook message out of the blue and said ‘I think you need a strong female voice’ and he agreed!’ describes Carmel. The sister-duo were met with keen support from Equity Mates, who offered them the chance to pitch their idea as a potential new show for Equity Mates Media. Their pitch sold.

And so, with a lot of brainstorming and planning with the Equity Mates team (Bryce Leske and Alec Renehan), the idea of Meet, Pay, Love was born.

‘The Equity Mates team helped grow this little idea that was stuck in my sisters head, into something tangible that will soon be heard in the ear of our listeners,’ echoes Zoe.

So whether you are in a relationship or you’re single, Zoe and Carmel are excited to bring you easy to follow, bite-sized content that will empower you to realise your financial potential, gain true financial independence and make your relationships (even if that’s the relationship you have with yourself) thrive when it comes to all things money.

From splitting dinner bills to mortgages and everything in between, ‘Meet, Pay, Love’ will give it’s listeners the chance to build the knowledge and confidence to talk about money.

So as the girls say, ‘Come as you are, ask what you want and, if anything, leave with new knowledge that might change the way you approach your finances in a relationship’.

Meet, Pay, Love coincidentally launches on February 14th (yep, Valentine’s Day). Listen and subscribe on all good podcast streaming services, and to join the conversation follow Zoe and Carmel on Instagram.

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