As the Beatles famously sang: "For I don't care too much for money, for money can't buy me love".

And with Valentine's Day only a week away, perhaps its time we talked about both?

But as we are sure you are aware, money and love are both tricky subjects; especially when they are combined.

When a couple decide to live together, they will be thinking about love, commitment, where to live, whether they want kids or pets and who gets ownership of the TV remote.

With all of this going on, it's not surprising that money gets pushed to the back of the mind! That may be fine for a while, but it is something that does need to be talked about before too long.

A lot of relationships fail because of money issues, so it is sensible to take some precautions and a little foresight can save a lot of pain, should the worst happen.

That isn't to say you should plan for failure, but a few sensible decisions taken early can help underpin all the things that give you a strong relationship.

So, here are 6 tips to keep couples financially happy:

• Communicate about money!

Fairly obvious but it is the most important tip!

Communication is the key ingredient in a relationship. If you are a keen saver and your intended partner is up to his neck in debt, you had probably better start "that conversation" pretty soon!.

Quite often one of you takes care of the financial stuff: paying bills, choosing a mortgage, running joint bank accounts, and so on. While this may seem like removing a care from the other (usually the woman), what it really does is take away power and independence too.

However competent and knowledgeable your partner appears, it is best that you have some basic financial knowledge and independence to protect yourself.

• Build a safety net!

A lot of us live on the financial edge; this can mean using credit cards to tide us over the rest of the month after the salary has run out, or getting a car loan because the wheels we want are just a little bit more expensive then we can afford!

Lots of couples live like this but it will catch up with you eventually! A surprise mortgage rate increase, a leap in council tax or a few unexpected bank charges can start to tip you into serious debt.

If you've got no savings to cushion you, then you are going to find it difficult to get back on an even keel.

So what do you do?!

• Look closely at your outgoings and rethink them; a lot of them can be easily cut back!

Your Starbucks coffee and pastry during break every day? Yeah that's costing you about £60-£80 a month!

Matron swears by the packed lunch (mainly because she doesn't get paid that much!)

It takes five minutes to make, costs 50p, and can save you £3-£5 or more every day. That's £750-£1,250 a year, double that for a couple!

Over a working lifetime, compounded by typical stock market returns, £3 per working day turns into £286,000!! That's easily enough to fund an entire pension!

• Map out your risks!

A lot of couples meet through work, and continue to work at the same employer. This could be a major risk if jobs get cut.

Job cuts and reorganisations which leave you having to re-apply for your own post are increasingly common, especially in local authorities and the voluntary sector. You'll probably get more notice, but that isn't much comfort if the only jobs you stand a chance of transfer to are paid less than you earn now!

Accident and illness are a fact of life and they can happen out of the blue. If one of you earns the majority of your income, then sort out basic life insurance early (it's much cheaper that way).

Also, make sure you have basic household insurance; you only have to look at the recent floods to see why how important that is.

Finally, make a will and make sure your partner does. You can download self-help types for as little as £5. If you feel you can face it (few can handle such a coldly unromantic idea) a pre-nuptial agreement will lay out who owns what in your household.

• Seeking a minimum level of independence!

If you and your partner are both working and earn roughly the same, you will probably have a natural balance to begin with. You will each have a bank account, perhaps some savings, and will have run your own financial affairs.

The reality is that in most couples one of you will earn much more than the other. Sometimes it is temporary, (because of bringing up children, or illness or disability).

More often, in the classic husband and housewife set-up, it is a permanent situation. Cooking, cleaning and taking care of the home is a valuable and important act of mutual support; but it doesn't come with any pay!

Sadly when a relationship breaks down, it is often those who provided the unpaid services who lose out. The house has a title deed, and there are receipts to show who paid for the furniture and car, but no paperwork to value decades of a clean sink, a disinfected loo, and a hot meal always waiting on the table when you come in from work.

You need to feel comfortable enough with money to have a savings account in your own name and a good credit card too.

Why? Simply because if something were to happen to your other half you need to be able to lay hands on some money quickly.

The sad fact of life is that can lead to one partner raiding the other's money, or disappearing and leaving the remaining partner with huge debts on a joint credit card.

• Another minimum precaution and one that is vital for women is this: make sure you get as full a National Insurance record as you can.

Only 30% of women get their full entitlement to state pension on retirement because of an incomplete record of contributions. If you work part time, make voluntary contributions when you can afford it. Missed years can be bought back up to 10 years in arrears.

Also, you need to think about pensions; you should start one as soon as possible.

• Getting the best for what you've got!

Once you've got a little bit of cash stashed away, (if at all possible!) you've got to think about the best way of making it work. Keep it simple: look for a good rate of interest, immediate access and no costs! A mini-Cash ISA, which gives you tax relief on the interest, is a really good bet.

• Getting a home!

We all desire a roof over our head and years ago, we would have all tried top get onto the housing ladder ASAP. Today, that may not be the best thing to do; especially with the current market prices!!

Many couples, particularly those who need to work in London, just cannot begin to afford anything. However, prices do not go up forever. They are as cyclical in the housing market as in the stock market. To pile in when prices are already astronomic could be a big mistake, especially now!

Renting doesn't have to be so bad either. It is far more common on the continent than here, and doesn't stop people enjoying their life. Besides, if the house floods it is your landlord who has the long-term worry, not you!

So where do you start with all of this?

Well, you hope that you and your partner are now thinking along the same lines; (if not then you could be in trouble!)

Ideally you have had a good chat, agreed some guidelines on spending and saving, and thought about dealing with the unexpected. The pension, the NI contributions, some shared savings and some personal financial independence will become second nature once you get going!

But it all starts with the two of you talking; and let's face it, some of you might find that difficult enough!

But you can do it and you can be in charge of your love and money!