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Life

24th Feb 2014

Would You Ask “The One” How Much He Earns? Research Says You Should.

Talking about money can be awkward, but could save you from having a bad marriage.

Alanna Alexander

Have you ever asked a man how much he earns on the first date? 

Credit card company Luma thinks you should. Well, sort of. 

A recent survey that the company conducted suggests that more men and women are less concerned about financial stability than they should be considering that money issues can be the reason for some major fights between married couples.

Only 10% of those surveyed valued financial stability, income and a good credit score on the list of factors that are important when choosing a partner.

This is how respondents listed their priorities:

  1. Personality
  2. Physical appearance
  3. Age
  4. Life goals
  5. Employment/ job
  6. Financial stability
  7. Income
  8. A good credit score (1.4% saw this is as a key consideration)

But this is the scary part: when asked whether having a partner with a poor financial history could have severe financial consequences for them, over a third said that they didn’t think it may lead to them being turned down for a joint mortgage, bank account or loan, paying a higher interest rate for borrowing, not being able to pay bills or losing their homes.

money pot

A third of people admitted having a nasty “financial surprise” after entering into a relationship.

“I would urge anyone entering into a serious relationship to talk to their partner about their finances early on to avoid nasty financial surprises later on. It also makes sense to check your credit file from time to time to correct mistakes and to get an idea of your creditworthiness,” said Mike Naylor, a personal finance expert.