Misers + Spendthrifts = Misery

Tightwads are likely to tie the knot with spendthrifts, often to the detriment of the marriage, new research suggests

Tightwads are likely to tie the knot with spendthrifts, often to the detriment of the marriage, new research suggests. A study, based on surveys of more than 1,000 married and unmarried adults, shows that whether miserly or extravagant, participants indicated they were unhappy about their emotional reactions toward spending money. The more dissatisfied they were, the more likely each participant was to be attracted to individuals with opposing spending views. But, in the long run, a marriage of opposite spenders results in greater conflicts over money, researchers found. Even though a spendthrift will have greater debt when married to another spendthrift than when married to a tightwad, the spendthrift is still less likely to argue about money with the other spendthrift, the study revealed. However, unmarried participants said their ideal romantic partner should share their views on spending.