The Market Can Save Your Marriage

Millions of jobs are being slashed, the unemployment rate continues to rise, and our mental and physical health suffers from the stress of it all. All these changes seem like the perfect cocktail for divorce. Yet some couples who were previously considering getting divorced are looking at all the costs and stress involved, and are deciding maybe they should give the whole marriage thing another try.

With our economy in its current dreary shape, getting divorced doesn’t necessarily guarantee each party will get to go its separate way. Many couples who bought homes together are facing foreclosure and/or bankruptcy. Other couples aren’t willing to take a hit and sell their home for less than they paid for it, and some simply can’t see how it would be financially possible to support themselves on their own in this recession. So the reality for many couples who are separated or divorced is that they’re still living together anyway. What’s the point of divorce if you’re still roommates?

One of the silver linings to the recession is that it’s forcing us to take a good, hard look at what’s really important. It has the power to help us improve our relationships by getting us back to the basics. It reminds us that anything worthwhile takes a lot of work and dedication, whether it’s working together in a marriage, finding a dream job or creating financial stability.

What’s one way the recession has improved some aspect of your life?

—Laura Lee Bloor