The topic of love and money is highly emotional for both men and women. The first part of our two-part series will focus on the "She said" perspective.

Ever wonder what your love interest thinks about money?  Here's the answer!

Whether Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or just a whim inspires you to splurge on a gift for your sweetie, pause before you swipe that credit card. The best way to celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime love isn’t necessarily with a store bought, generic gift. These 11 gift ideas may not cost you much, but they are rich in thought and sure to be treasured by the one you love.

1. Write a poem or love letter. Nothing says “I love you” more than sweet, tender words from the heart. Use your creative side and let that special someone know how you really feel.
2. Bring him or her breakfast in bed. Showcase your culinary skills by making your sweetie his or her favorite breakfast food. Nothing says lovin’ like somethin’ from the oven.
3. Treat your significant other to a spa treatment. A day spa masseuse may be pricey but you’re not! Give your loved one a foot and back massage at home. Create a romantic ambiance with a sweetly-scented bubble bath and some rose petals in and around the bathtub.
4. Prepare a romantic candlelit dinner. Transform your dining room into a beautiful four-star restaurant. Enjoy each other’s company and reconnect in a quiet atmosphere.
5. Recreate your first date. Maybe it was dinner and a movie, maybe it was a walk in the park—the key is to recreate that initial spark between the two of you.
6. Give your love a break. If you usually divide the chores at home, give your partner a sweet surprise by doing both your shares. Giving them a chance to put their feet up and relax will show how much you appreciate all they do.
7. Create a soundtrack of your romance. Choose songs that are memorable for the two of you. The first song you danced to, the song that best defines your relationship, and songs that make you think of the other are a few ideas to load into your MP3 player.
8. Rent a favorite flick. Spending quality time together is one of the best gestures to show someone you care. Instead of going out to a crowded movie theater, rent a movie and watch it while snuggling on the sofa.
9. Buy red balloons. Fill his or her favorite room in the house with red balloons and hand-written notes with romantic verses on them.
10. One step closer toward achieving a common goal. Make an agreement with your partner to forgo the gifts on the occasion you are celebrating. Instead, put that money toward achieving a shared goal, such as homeownership, paying off a debt, or saving for a romantic vacation.
11. Give a printable gift certificate. Sometimes the best gift you can give is your time. Create a personalized gift using this free printable gift certificate generator.

For more on finance and romance, download the free Love and Money eBook.

Loves you…loves you not… Remember when finding love was all about picking the right petal? Today, finding and maintaining love is still about the choices you make, but the options are a bit more complex, especially when you are trying to pick the ideal financial partner.

If you’re looking for love, getting your finances in order now will not only make you a more attractive prospect, but will help build a healthy relationship. If you’re already in a relationship, recommit yourself to building a stronger and more financially secure partnership by following a few helpful suggestions:

Don’t be afraid to share your feelings. No matter how unromantic, having an open and honest discussion about your financial past and future is vital to your financial success. Remember that everyone has their own money style, which has been shaped by their past experiences. Approaching money issues honestly and openly gives you a much better chance at a strong, healthy financial relationship. 

Make a commitment. No one cares more about your financial security than the two of you. Make a promise to each other to take joint responsibility and take steps to better your overall financial position by paying down debt and establishing a savings cushion. Establishing a savings cushion could keep a financial setback from becoming a financial disaster. And, reducing debt allows you to make smart financial choices in the future. 

Set financial goals and vow to keep them. Make sure that your goals that are both specific and achievable. Try to set goals that are equally rewarding so that you’re both working towards the same goal. Depend on each other for support and encourage one another to stay focused and committed.

Spend some quality time. Schedule a time to meet each month to discuss your financial goals and expectations. Review your budget regularly in order to identify problem areas. Don’t be discouraged by the occasional setback. Make adjustments as often as needed to ensure financial success.

It is a well-known -and unfortunate- fact that financial problems are one of the leading causes of disagreement for couples. Because money matters, it’s important for couples to devote more time to improving their financial standing.

As a bride-to-be, I never anticipated how many expenses would ensue or how many tasks would be left to do AFTER the wedding.

Money, it’s what makes the world go round or, conversely, what causes the world to come to a screeching halt as the epic battle of the newlyweds plays out. Who will reign victorious: the spendthrift or the penny pincher?

Not every newlywed fits neatly into the spender or saver category, but inevitably one partner will be more of a spendthrift and the other more of a tightwad when it comes to the finances. Believe it or not, differences in financial points of view do not have to cause a war.

Here is some peaceable financial advice to newlyweds who would rather be allies than enemies.

-Lay all your cards on the table. Clear, open communication is essential to the success of your marriage, especially when talking about finances. Couples should disclose all their debts and assets to their partners prior to or at the start of their marriage.

-Create financial goals together. Uniting in pursuit of a common financial goal can make marital bonds stronger because both partners are making sacrifices to achieve a greater goal. Real-life loves Kim and Matt created a system called MBO, or Marriage by Objective, to align their actions to achieve desired results.

-Delegate responsibility. Typically, the physical act of paying the monthly bills falls to one partner, but both partners should know how to pay the bills if they need to. Some couples suggest giving one person responsibility over short term finances, like bill paying, and the other person responsibility over long term investments, such as saving for retirement.

-Pay debts ASAP. According to theknot.com, the average wedding costs couples around $28,000. That’s a hefty sum, especially if the couple has been taking advantage of all the great money saving wedding advice available online. If both partners have student loans (the average graduating senior has $19,237 in loan debt), then debt is creating quite a burden in the beginning of the marriage. Make paying back debts a priority early on.

One final piece of advice for newlyweds is to invest in your relationship. All the money in the world cannot strengthen a marriage like the bonds of communication and the pursuit of shared interests.

Few will argue that money is the number one reason married couples fight with one another. Since we are about to enter the peak season for weddings, I offer you the following guidelines for couples to use when discussing money and planning their financial future:

1. SET PRIORITIES AND SPECIFIC GOALS. Don’t assume you both have the same goals without discussing them.

2. DISCUSS VALUES. Sometimes differing values make agreement on goals difficult. When one person wants to spend now and one wants to save for later, it can be a source of friction. The same is true when one spouse tends to be less risk oriented than the other about investments.

3. PLAN IN FIVE YEAR UNITS. When planning for five year blocks, you can set both intermediate and long-range goals without feeling you’re being deprived forever.

4. BUDGET TOGETHER. Set up a manageable system for your cash flow together.

5. KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING. Keep records of your spending.

6. DON’T ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE BOTH WORKING YOU HAVE A LOT MORE TO SPEND.

7. SAVE REGULARLY so you aren’t locked into that second income.

8. WHO HANDLES THE ACTUAL PAPERWORK CAN BE A MATTER OF PERSONAL PREFERENCE, although both of you should practice at it.

9. DON’T CONFUSE THE TASK OF DOING PAPERWORK WITH THE ACT OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING.

10. SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND DISCUSS FINANCES at least once a month.

It is National Unmarried and Single Americans Week (USA Week). According to the US Census Bureau, singles make up 42 percent of all U.S. residents 18 and older.

Since we all know that money is one of the main reasons married couples fight, you might think that singles have a financial advantage. However, being single means that you have sole responsibility for your financial situation—a fact that can be daunting to some. While most basic rules of money management apply to singles and married couples, there are a few things singles can do to make their financial lives easier.

Set financial goals. Singles might think that they know what their goals are, but it pays to put them on paper. To hold yourself accountable, write out your individual short-term, mid-term, and long-term financial goals.

Share financial responsibility. Singles don’t have to go it alone. Consider assembling a team to help you make financial decisions. Your team members might include a credit counselor, a financial planner, a lawyer, and an accountant.

Build good credit. Since lenders will make decisions based on your creditworthiness alone, building good credit is imperative. To see where you stand today, visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com.

Protect yourself. Singles do not share financial responsibilities, so insurance is very important. In addition to health insurance, consider disability insurance in case you are ever unable to work.

Finally, it pays for singles to understand their individual rights and responsibilities—this is particularly true for unmarried couples. State laws vary quite a bit regarding ownership of income and responsibility for debt.