More than half of females and 45 percent of males admit that they are more attracted to individuals who are frugal with their finances.
Boston, MA – May 21, 2013
Men and women prefer ‘big savers’ over ‘big spenders,’ according to a recent survey conducted by American Consumer Credit Counseling that asked consumers to define the qualities of a fiscally attractive mate. Half of all survey respondents preferred ‘big savers,’ while only 12 percent identified themselves as being more attracted to ‘big spenders.’ Nearly eight in ten respondents preferred that their significant other hold the same fiscal views as them.
Of the nearly 200 consumers surveyed in the recent ACCC web poll at ConsumerCredit.com, less than one percent of men and 14 percent of women said they find big spending an attractive feature.
“Money problems are one of the leading causes of difficulties in relationships, which is why it is so important to understand the spending habits of a significant other early on,” said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of national nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is based in Newton, Mass. “Almost 80 percent of those surveyed said they prefer that their partner share similar fiscal views, which indicates just how important money and finances are to a relationship.”
Spending habits seem to be more important to women. About 49 percent of male respondents indicated that spending habits are not important compared to only 34 percent of females. When asked to define frugality, more than 84 percent of respondents associated the trait with sensibility, while only 16 percent labeled the term as cheap.
“Most Americans today are seeking a middle ground when it comes to fiscal attractiveness,” said Trumble. “With many consumers still recovering from a struggling economy, frugality is no longer considered a turn off, but often is an attractive characteristic.”
Age also played a role in determining fiscal attractiveness. Approximately half of those females who identified spending as fiscally attractive were aged 25 to 34, while nearly 60 percent of women who are most attracted to big savers were aged 45 or above.
The fiscal attractiveness poll was the latest in a series of ACCC web surveys for 2013 that focus on a variety of financial education, budgeting and planning topics. This week ACCC launched its May online poll that focuses on retirement readiness.
American Consumer Credit Counseling’s certified and experienced counselors offer a variety of financial education, counseling and debt management services to help consumers achieve long-term financial health and stability.
