There are plenty of frugal ways to show someone that you care about them.

But have you ever thought about the financial steps you could take that would show your significant other that you’re thinking about them?

As the old saying goes, sometimes actions speak louder than words.  Here are some things you can do in your life that will help you take care of your finances and your loved one.

Lose weight. Not an easy task, but such an important one.  It doesn’t matter if you have all the money in the world if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it.  Lose the weight, look better, feel better, and reduce your health-related costs.  And chances are, you’ll live longer. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Quit bad habits.  Give up smoking or stop drinking and see immediate health improvements as well as huge financial benefits.  Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Purchase term life insurance. If the unthinkable should happen, you would not want your grieving spouse or children to have to worry about money in addition to losing you.  Protect them with an adequate amount of term life insurance.

Get your paperwork in order. This means creating a will and a health care directive.  You should also set up a durable power of attorney so that your bills get paid if you’re incapicitated.   No one likes to think about these things, but they can help take away a lot of the stress of some awful situations.

Set a regular date to talk finances. Studies have shown that when couples fight, it is most often about money.  Set a regular date (at least quarterly) to sit down with your significant other and talk about your finances.  Talk about your debts and make plans to pay them down.  Talk about retirement and how you’ll save for it.  Talk about your short-term goals like buying a new gadget or saving for a vacation.  Leave no area of your personal finances untouched. These regular heart-to-heart discussions will put you both on the same page… and when you can face your finances as a team, you’ll be a much stronger couple.

Being in a committed relationship means that you no longer think just about yourself.  You now need to think about how your actions (or inaction) affect your significant other and your entire families.   Show that special someone that there’s more to your relationship than just saying the words.