The Number One Thing Couples Fight About (and Why I'm Glad I'm Single)
How messed up is this? I was writing ad copy yesterday for a counseling center and I made the couples therapy sound so fun and uplifting that I actually caught myself thinking, I wanna be in a troubled relationship! I must be a really great writer.
When I'm in my right mind, of course, I'd rather be alone than deal with the drama and problems that come with some relationships. And some of the problems I hear…man, oh, man. Did you see the gossip last week about Teresa and Joe Giudice of The Real Housewives of New Jersey? They owe creditors $11 million. 11 MILLION BONES. Obviously they weren't having a good conversation about their finances!
Related: 25 First-Date Dos and Don'ts
Which brings me to my next point-and thanks for staying with me. According to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, a survey in which more than 2,000 U.S. adults participated, 91% of people avoid talking about finances, household expenses and debt with their partner. And get this: couples indicated they are more likely to know their partner's weight than their salary.
Also of interest:
Money causes more stress in a relationship than intimacy (11%), children (9%) and in-laws (4%). Money is the number one thing couples fight about.
12% say they've never talked about money with their spouse.
But! While only 43% of the general population talked money before marriage, 81% of young professionals do (way to go, under 30s).
More young professional couples (48%) separate monthly expenses than the general population (34%).
$249 is the average threshold at which young professional couples need to consult with their partner before making a purchase.
27% of respondents have misrepresented the amount of a purchase to their partner.
30% have hidden purchases from their partner.
56% of couples feel they have made a financial mistake in their relationship, ranging from spending too much on their wedding to buying a house at the top of the market.
If they could go back in time, 32% would put more into savings and investments; 27% would spend more responsibly; 17% would discuss financial goals and expectations earlier.
Wow!
If you could turn back time, what would you do differently in your current relationship? What do you do that's right (not spend 11 mill?)? Which fact makes you most glad you're single? What are you doing now to prepare for your awesome future?
MORE FROM GLAMOUR:
Photo Credit: IMDb.com
