Like many, my partner and I have had to face some difficult conversations in “lockdown life” these past two years. And I’ll admit that when it comes to money, I’m usually the one to shy away from conversation.
But as we close in on the third year of the ongoing global pandemic, it’s clear that finances are becoming an increasingly important part of our personal romantic relationships.
Our newly released 2022 Love & Money Report* finds that:
Half of U.S. adult respondents (50%) say the pandemic made financial stability in a partner more important to them.
Over a third (36%) say that COVID-19 has made them realize they can’t be happy in a relationship where there is ongoing financial stress.
The survey, conducted by Morning Consult of 2,210 U.S. adults, dug into what couples value in their romantic partnerships and what traits are considered “deal breakers,” particularly during these uncertain times.
Financial Deal Breakers
Financial deal breakers are money-related reasons why an individual would choose to end a romantic relationship.
There are a handful of financial drivers for calling it quits. The top response? Being dishonest about how you spend or use your cash.
It was also surprising to see some of the financial variables that were not top deal breakers:
Feel free to give freely: just 13% of respondents would call it quits if their partner was “constantly buying gifts.”
Survey respondents don’t mind a thrifty partner; just 10% of people would end a relationship because their partner is “really frugal.”
Despite debt being a top deal-breaker, only 9% said a low credit score would cause them to end a relationship.
Discrepancies in net worth don’t seem to be top of mind; only 2% said that having a partner with a net worth far more than theirs would be a deal breaker, and only 5% said a partner with a net worth far less than theirs would be a deal breaker.
Discount devotees rejoice: a mere 1% of people would end a relationship over their partner using coupons or reward points.
Tip: You and your partner can get aligned on your finances with Personal Capital’s free money-management tools
The Bottom Line
What’s considered a “deal breaker” is highly personal. Because of that, it’s best to have open conversations about what bugs you, what drives you, and what you don’t give two cents about.
Learn more from Krista Aliga, CFP®, on how to have effective, goal-inspired money talks with your partner in our 2022 Love & Money Report.
For press inquiries and interviews, please contact Jacqueline Quasney, Personal Capital Director of PR, at press@personalcapital.com.
*Survey Methodology: This poll was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of Personal Capital, between January 15-January 16, 2022 among a sample of 2,210 U.S. adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of Adults based on gender, educational attainment, age, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
