Couples consider they need to disclose salaries after eight dates

A poll of 2,000 adults revealed that half believe discussing your income with a new partner is one of the most uncomfortable conversations daters can have. Yet, 55% reckon it’s crucial to be open about earnings at this stage as 45% think it can foster trust.

It also helps 43% gain insight into each other’s lifestyles and affordability. Conversely, 48% of those who disagree want couples to concentrate on emotional connection rather than finances when the romance is still budding. Another 36% suggest they should ensure money doesn’t affect the dynamic of an early courtship.

The research was commissioned by Skipton, which has been in London during UK Savings Week with its ‘Money Talks Booth’ challenging couples to remove the awkwardness from money chat and blindly share their financial confession with an expert present.

TV presenter and finance guru Tayo Oguntonade, who has partnered with the building society, said: “Many daters are reluctant to disclose their salaries and personal finances early on, often due to worries about being judged or setting unfair expectations in the relationship. There’s a fear that revealing too much too soon, especially regarding finances, can alter the dynamic. However, while it’s understandable to want to wait, financial transparency is a key component of trust in any relationship.”

“As the relationship progresses, being open about money from personal spending habits, to sharing financial commitments from previous relationships and long-term financial goals will help couples align values and build a foundation for a stable, honest connection.”

It also emerged that a whopping 74% reckon it’s absolutely crucial to be upfront about their financial situation with a potential significant other who’s in it for the long haul. Meanwhile, a wary 54% confess that stumbling upon a love interest with cash troubles is a proper red flag.

Yet, a cautious 37% have struggled to chat about their money stash during the early days of dating. With 31% of these scaredy-cats worried about being judged and another 27% not fancying drawing attention to any wallet-size disparity.

It turns out that older romantics are a bit more hush-hush about their dosh, as 51% of those aged between 45 and 54 prefer to keep their purse strings tied tight.

Nonetheless, when on the hunt for a beau, 27% of these seasoned date-goers deem having top-notch saving skills as pretty darn important in a mate. But get this, one in four (27%) adults would still take a punt on someone carrying ‘financial baggage’. And almost half (49%) confess that as we age, we’re all likely to lug around some kind of monetary load.

This intriguing survey, carried out by OnePoll, also unearthed that 19% have dodged those toe-curling chats about finances when things start to get romantic. To dodge the conversation, 43% of people changed the subject, while 35% gave vague answers, and 18% avoided eye contact when faced with a finance question they didn’t want to answer.

Alex Sitaras, head of savings & partnerships at Skipton Building Society, which has recently launched its My Money Review, said: “Many daters tend to avoid awkward conversations about finances, especially in the early stages, as money can feel like a sensitive topic. But, it’s an important topic that shouldn’t be avoided, and if your relationship is becoming a serious one it really is a conversation that’s worth having.”

“Open communication is essential, and seeking advice from a professional, can help make a difficult conversation become a productive one. Helping you both to review your finances and ensuring you both make the most of your savings too. In turn helping you to provide clarity and helping to strengthen the relationship.”

The top 10 most awkward conversations for daters include:

1. Meeting the family for the first time.
2. Discussing sexual preferences.
3. Talking about past relationships.
4. Discussing finances.
5. Talking about having children.
6. Revealing how much you earn.
7. Handling personal insecurities in the relationship.
8. Discussing political views.
9. Talking about future plans.
10. Deciding who pays for dates.