Study Finds 1 in 4 Americans Wish Their Romantic Partners Would Stop Overspending

A new Valentine's Day study from GOBankingRates surveyed consumers on the No. 1 financial quality they don't want in a romantic partner

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GOBankingRates

Feb 10, 2015, 09:15 ET

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10, 2015 /PR Newswire/ -- For nearly a third of adults in a relationship, money is one of the leading causes of stress and conflict¹. GOBankingRates investigated just what qualities Americans wish they could change in their significant others, finding that about one in four -- 24.3% -- wish their partner would stop spending so much money.

GOBankingRates' poll asked respondents for the No. 1 financial quality they don't want in a romantic partner. Following "overspending," the results were:

GOBankingRates Study Reveals No. 1 Quality Americans Don't Want in a Romantic Partner

Secretive About Finances (19.64%)
Too Much Debt (19.17%)
Too Cheap (11.51%)
Poor Credit (9.05%)
Doesn't Make Enough Money (8.2%)
No Long-Term Savings Plans (8.12%)

SEE DEMOGRAPHIC INSIGHTS HERE

"You can't escape money matters when you're dating or married," said Casey Bond, managing editor of GOBankingRates. "Whether you're splitting the bill on Valentine's Day dinner or opening your first shared banking account, your partner's financial habits will have a huge impact on the relationship. What we've found in our survey is that Americans want their partners to be communicative about their financial issues – no matter what they are."

"Before you enter into a marriage or move in with one another, it is important to have those important (and maybe tough) conversations about finances," said Coupons.com savings expert Jeanette Pavini. "Make sure you are on the same page, share goals and have a game plan for dealing with finances. The reality is, a lot of partnerships or marriages end in part because of financial issues."

Additional findings:

The Gender Divide: Women were 20% more likely than men to choose "secretive about finances" as the most disagreeable financial quality, while men were 42% more likely to choose "overspending."
Gen Y: Young millennials – respondents between 18 and 24 – were more likely than any other age group to worry about their partners not making enough money.
Baby Boomers: Young boomers – 45- to 54-year-olds – were the only age bracket to not choose "overspending" as the least attractive financial quality in a partner. This group was most concerned with a significant other having too much debt.

For an expert analysis of why Americans are so secretive about money, visit: http://bit.ly/16LnrEy

About GOBankingRates

GOBankingRates.com is a leading portal for personal finance news and features, offering visitors the latest information on everything from interest rates to strategies on saving money, managing a budget and getting out of debt. Its editors are regularly featured on top-tier media outlets, including U.S. News, Business Insider, Daily Finance, Huffington Post and more. It also specializes in connecting consumers with the best financial institutions and interest rates nationwide.

Contact:

Roxy Barghahn
GOBankingRates
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¹ American Psychological Association, "Stress in America Survey," Feb. 4, 2015.

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SOURCE GOBankingRates