Happiness And How Couples Spend

For many couples, spending limits are the secret to happier holidays. (NAPS)

(NAPSI)—Quicken, maker of the best-selling personal finance software in the U.S., recently surveyed over 1,000 married adults to get a picture of their spending habits over the holidays—and to find out if spending impacts their relationship happiness.

Do you spend what I spend?

The majority of couples (nearly 70 percent) say they agree on holiday spending levels. Some observations about those who set (or didn’t set) spending limits:

Spending limits and happiness go hand in hand

People who discuss and agree on holiday spending report being happier with the amount their spouse spends on them.

For those who agree on limits, 78 percent are happy with how much their spouse spends. That number drops when couples don’t agree on holiday spending limits; 63 percent of those who don’t set a limit say they’re happy with the amount spent on them.

People who did not set spending limits are twice as likely to wish their spouse had spent more on them (24 percent) than those who did (10 percent).

Setting limits is one thing—telling the truth is another

Nearly half (47 percent) of the people who said they set a limit have deceived their spouse about how much they spent on gifts.

The vast majority of those white lies were told by people who spent more than the stated limit on a gift for their love: Eighty-one percent said they spent more on their spouse than they agreed to.

Putting the “me” in merry

If you splurged on something for yourself while you were shopping for others, don’t feel bad: Nearly a third (28 percent) of people say they spend more on themselves during the holiday season than they do on their spouse.

Making a list and checking it twice may not be enough

One in five have forgotten completely to get a holiday gift for their spouse. Turns out, forgetting a gift takes a big toll on relationship satisfaction. Those who have forgotten a gift report a 18.5 percent dip in relationship satisfaction from those who never have.

So, this holiday season, consider talking to your spouse about holiday spending plans, checking your list twice, and perhaps grabbing a gift for yourself while you’re at it.

Learn More

For further facts and tips on family finances, go to www.quicken.com.

 “For many couples, a recent survey discovered, spending limits on presents are the secret to happier holidays. http://bit.ly/2EbjaQ8”

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)