Money has a greater effect on our relationships than many of us would like to admit. While it’s much more romantic to believe love alone determines the success of a relationship, financial logistics also play a large role. To make it work, each individual in a partnership must commit to doing their share: communicating freely, being honest about financials, spending wisely and working to eliminate debt, to name a few key actions.

Debt in particular can drive a huge wedge in any relationship because it’s psychologically taxing, not to mention limiting in terms of accomplishing larger life and financial goals. For example, a couple may dream of buying a home someday. While not out of the question, this aspiration is made much more difficult with the presence of debt. The same goes for planning a wedding, having children, traveling, or buying a vehicle.

Consumer debt in the U.S. has surpassed $1.3 trillion, with the average American household carrying $139,500. This means many couples must figure out how to deal with debt, for their sake as individuals and for the sake of their partnership.

Here are some tips on getting out of debt as a team.

Communicate Openly About Money

The first hurdle to clear is simply opening the lines of communication. One financial advisor who specializes in helping couples offers this advice for productively kick-starting the conversation:

• Get all [financial] issues out on the table.
• Work through a budget.
• Come to some agreement on “yours, mine, ours.”
• Enact spending limits if needed.

In terms of debt, you need to know how much, what type and to whom it belongs.

Strategize to Eliminate Debt

As Business Insider reports, one survey “found that starting a marriage with consumer debt has ‘a negative impact on newlywed levels of marital quality.’” Couples with $20,000 to $50,000 in debt, the highest tier included in the survey, had the lowest marital satisfaction scores of everyone who participated. From this information, we can infer that debt tends to take a toll on serious relationships. This is just part of the reason it’s beneficial to get out of debt.

Whichever strategy you choose, you should be on the same page as your partner from the get go. Otherwise, you may end up inadvertently sabotaging each other’s efforts to eliminate debt.

For example, let’s say a married couple with $20,000 in high-interest credit card debt decides to pursue debt settlement through a debt relief program. They’ve perused multiple companies offering this service and like the positive Freedom Debt Relief reviews they saw online. After enrolling, they will make regular contributions to a dedicated account. When this account contains enough funds, negotiators from Freedom Debt Relief will contact creditors and try to negotiate settlements that ultimately reduce the amount owed. But if one partner is spending indiscriminately, it will be difficult to contribute the amount needed to zero out these credit card balances once and for all. Both individuals need to commit to resolving debt for it to work—quitting halfway through is only a recipe for further conflict and disappointment.

The same principle applies for couples pursuing a do-it-yourself debt elimination strategy. In a marriage with shared finances, both partners have a vested interest in communally eliminating debt. Even in a relationship with separate finances, the partner with less or no debt can still motivate the person actively working to get rid of debt—and modify their behavior so as not to enable excessive spending. For example, they could plan a cost-effective annual staycation instead of taking an expensive trip with airfare and lodging costs. They could spearhead meal planning so both partners free up some extra cash in their budget each month, useful for paying down debt, bolstering savings and more.

Getting out of debt together, as a couple, can be empowering—provided you communicate effectively throughout and hold each other accountable.