Never say never – literally

For Reddit poster chocolate_on_toast it’s all about language. They think by simply avoiding one specific word you can ease your marriage strains: “We both try hard to avoid the words 'never' and 'always'. As in: ‘You never pick up your socks!’ or ‘You always forget to wipe the sink!’ Acceptable words are ‘seldom’ or ‘often’. It's a tiny, tiny semantic shift, but it makes a MASSIVE difference when having discussions about these things.”

Quit bitching

We know how tempting it is to have a vent about your other half to your pals over a glass of wine, but according to Queen_Dare_Bare this is a serious relationship no-no. Instead they advice keeping issues between the two of you, “never bad-mouth your spouse, especially to family and close friends. Address any issues that you have with your spouse only with him/her present.”

Coincide lights out

If there’s one nugget of wisdom 1ove1985 has got to share, it’s being bedtime buddies. For this forum user, ending your day together is a good way to keep your relationship strong, who says “always go to bed at the same time, if your schedule allows of course. We have weekends off together so we usually get up at the same time too.... this sometimes isn't the case as I sometimes like to sleep in later than him. But we always go to bed at the same time.”

Discuss your debts

It’s not surprising that money worries get a mention, as when a couple come together and shares their pot of pennies things can get complicated. Your_dragon_is_cool gives some great advice along the theme of honesty is the best policy, encouraging those in relationships to be honest about any debt they have from the beginning. They say, “Money, debt, and credit. Talk about it early, and often. Be honest. If the relationship is worth pursuing into marriage, then you will find a way to work through financial issues.”

Show a united front

If your spouse has been getting on your wick, it can be so tempting to poke fun at them in front your friends while you’re shielded by having others around and you know they can’t make a scene. But these passive-aggressive digs in public can be more damaging than we sometimes anticipate says Zubutay. The Redditer writes, “Don't contradict your SO [significant other] in front of others – or join the other side in an argument. If you think they're wrong, sort it out later. At the moment, if they see you on the other side of the fence, there's some resentment growing. If they truly are wrong, downplay the whole thing towards the other parties and discuss things later in private, calmly.”

Reddit users share their best relationship tips for avoiding typical arguments