Talking with your partner about finances isn’t always easy. That’s especially true in newer relationships where you’re still getting to know each other and your different financial circumstances. Credit cards have the potential to lead to fights if discussions aren’t approached delicately. But those fights are unnecessary.

All it takes is a little bit of preparation and a little bit of understanding. Let’s take a look at how you can make credit card discussions and other financial discussions with your significant other a little bit easier.

3 Tips to Make Couples’ Credit Card Talks Easier

If you’re worried about talking about credit card debt and credit card spending habits with your partner, here are a few tips to make it a little better.

1. Do a bit of self-reflection.

You aren’t in a position to talk to your partner about their credit card situation if you don’t fully understand your own. Do you have credit card debt? How much? How long have you had it? How long will it take you to pay it all off? How do you usually use credit cards — for everyday purchases that get paid off each month or to pay off larger purchases over time? You might think of your credit card as a tool for financing while your partner thinks of it solely as a tool of convenience. Neither is right nor wrong. They’re just different ways of doing things. Understand what your way is so you can explain how you feel about credit card use to your partner.

2. Don’t make it personal.

It can help if you talk about your concerns solely in terms of the issues and not in the form of personal attacks. You may very well have different styles of dealing with money. The idea is to find a way to work together, not to be judgmental towards each other. Speaking in terms of “we” might also help, because it doesn’t pit one of you against the other in the discussion when differences come up.

3. Discuss shared goals.

A great way to make financial discussions with your partner easier is to focus on your shared goals. Then both of you can talk about your history and credit card habits in terms of doing your part to help reach those goals. This can immediately put a positive spin on things like decreasing spending (perhaps because you’re saving for a big vacation together) or tackling credit card debt (maybe because you want to ensure you’ll be approved for a mortgage if your goal is to buy a house together).

Talking to your partner about credit card debt and other financial issues doesn’t have to be painful or intimidating. Just go into the discussions understanding that you’re talking about a person and not solely a problem, and that can help you both be more sensitive to each other’s questions and concerns.