Ways To Save Some Money During A Divorce

February 13, 2023

As we all know, getting a divorce can be very costly. Not only do you have to pay your attorney, any court costs and filing fees, but you are also now having to make living arrangements and pay bills for two households instead of one, and doing this on a single income. To many people, this can seem like a daunting - if not impossible - task. However, there are a few things you can do to help you save your money.

The most obvious first step if you’ve known that you will be getting divorced would be to plan ahead and start setting money aside in a bank account that only you can access. However, this isn’t always possible. Perhaps your spouse unexpectedly informs you that they want a divorce. Perhaps you can’t set money aside without them knowing. Or worse yet, your spouse controls all of the family finances and you don’t have access to them. In these types of scenarios, careful planning, creating a realistic budget and prioritizing what you consider a “must have” versus a “nice to have” or “not worth fighting for” are extremely important.

You will also want to keep in mind that the longer the divorce process is drawn out, the more it will most likely cost to pay the attorneys and other professionals handling your divorce. While you obviously want the largest and/or most favorable settlement possible, dragging things out and paying huge attorney fees may well end up costing you more than making a few compromises would.

There is a flip side to trying to avoid dragging out the divorce process though, and unfortunately, it can also end up costing you in the long run if you’re not careful. What is this flip side? It’s trying to avoid the all too common divorce fatigue phenomenon by caving and settling for a divorce agreement just to be done with the process and out of the marriage quickly. Although negotiating a fair and reasonable divorce settlement can be challenging and feel exhausting, buckling and making concessions that aren’t fair or that go against your values and beliefs just to be done with it actually increases the risk of having to go back to court or re-start the negotiation process down the road because the initial agreement doesn’t hold up.

Another thing that people often don’t realize can cost them in the long run is the effect of posting your personal drama on social media. In this day and age, airing your dirty laundry on a public platform could cost you or your ex their job. Having the breadwinner lose their job over a post on social media - especially a post that was made to be petty, vindictive, or done in a fit of rage can be catastrophic financially, as they can now no longer fulfill their financial obligations - including those made in a divorce agreement. So at the end of the day, even though it may make you feel better temporarily, avoid making posts online that could jeopardize the employment of you or your ex. If one of you loses your job over an angry post on social media, ultimately, everyone pays and no one wins.

In an ideal world, every divorce would be simple and straightforward and every person would be open to negotiating a divorce agreement that’s fair and in the best interest of all involved. If you are one of the lucky ones who falls into this category, then congratulations! Not only will you be able to navigate through the divorce process with more ease, but you also have the ability to file for and finalize your divorce online, which in and of itself is a huge money saver. Utilizing a website such as thequickdivorce.com to file for divorce can save you thousands of dollars, which is money you can use to get yourself started in this new chapter in your life.

However, if you are one of the people whose divorce isn’t so easy and straightforward, don’t let it overly concern you. By being mindful of your emotions and acknowledging them without letting them dictate how you act or react, as well as by being able to come up with and stick to a budget that works for you and your family, ultimately, you can navigate through this trying time in your life and come out on the other side happier and ready for the next chapter.