Greater Bank reveals: Aussies value looks over money when finding love
These days, it seems like everyone has a different approach to dating. In fact, a recent survey by Greater Bank found that almost half of Aussie men still insist on paying the bill after a date.
And as these Aussie men head to the counter to cough up for dinner, they’re also expecting to spend $50 more on a date than females.
When asked about the things that really mattered in their partner, beauty wasn’t skin deep with 71% preferring to have an attractive but poor partner.
But even though love might not have a price tag, our choice of companion could still be costing us down the line.
RELATED: 5 expert tips to make money-talk in your relationship more romantic
One of the more concerning figures was that 82% of Aussie couples agreed that money caused tension within their relationship, especially if they had children.
While it’s not unusual for a couple to experience the occasional tiff, we thought it might be a good idea to chat to someone who knows a thing or two about effective money management, like Bronwyn Bruce, Founder of Miss Money Box, a personal finance blog for Australian women.
“Being financially compatible doesn’t seem too high on people’s list when searching for their perfect match – but it should be. Money can be a highly contentious issue in relationships, especially between couples that are a bad fiscal match,” she said.
“Often when people fight about money, it’s not actually money that’s the issue, it’s differing priorities. If one partner has a lot of debt and isn’t working to pay it back, while the other is saving and investing, then there is a huge misalignment in the couple’s life goals.”
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Bronwyn also had a couple of tips for couples doing it tough financially. Her answer? Keep things stress free and simple with a judgement-free chat.
“The best thing couples can do to ease money stress in a partnership is to talk about it. While this may not be the sexiest conversation you’ll ever have with your partner, it will save you plenty of heartache.”
“Money conversations should be judgement free. If you berate your partner for his or her regular trips to Kmart to buy soft furnishings or car accessories, he or she won’t be keen to talk with you about money again.
“Keep the conversation polite and considerate so that you can have more conversations in the future, and hopefully progress to a point where you’re both financially in sync.”
And if you'd like to learn more about Greater's research, check out their cool infographic.
