A recent working paper out of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business titled; “A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned: The Romantic Appeal of Savers” surveyed 282 adults on their reaction to the dating profiles of singles based on their saving VS spending habits. Savers received a consistently higher score on compatibility- a five out of seven versus a four out of seven for spenders. According to the survey’s authors, Jenny Olsen and Scott Rick; savers project a greater sense of self-control, which translates into more self-control in other aspects of their life- and this leads to a feeling of comfort in potential partners. Conversely, spenders send out a message about potentially irresponsible behavior that leaves potential partners cautious. This on top of the recent data that shows good credit scores matter adds up to a picture about the importance of financial health for those seeking healthy and long-term partnerships.
If you are an active online dater, make sure your finances are in order and if not, make getting them there one of your top priorities. Check out the new dating sites that allow users to share credit card information with others as a way to see how you measure up to the competition in a way that has grown in importance.
Apparently everything old is new again and dating has become a lot more practical- like in long ago times when a dowry helped to seal the deal for a potential groom. It may sound less romantic, but maybe it’s time we got more pragmatic in our search for a happy union.
