Poll: Have You Ever Committed 'Financial Infidelity'?
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Have you ever had an "I shouldn't have bought that" moment? Most of us have. But would you ever conceal that purchase from your partner?
According to a new poll conducted for CreditCards.com, the answer is yes – for some.
The poll, which asked participants whether or not they'd ever spent $500 or more and hid it from their spouse or partner, had one in five Americans admitting to it.
And if you think that's bad, consider this: Six percent also admitted to having a hidden savings or checking account or using secret credit cards!
Men were slightly more likely to have a secret account (8% versus 5% of women) and were also twice as likely to admit to making a big purchase without telling their significant other.
Younger people were also more likely to make big purchases or have a hidden source of funds than older ones were. A full quarter of those between 18 and 29 admitted they'd made a purchase of $500 or more without telling their partner, and 7% of 18-29 year olds copped to having a secret account compared to just 4% of older folks.
So, is secret spending acceptable?
Thirty-one percent of men and 18% of women said yes, they'd have no issues with their significant other spending $500-plus without consulting them; however, 31% also said their partner should be able to spend just $100 or less without telling them.
While opinions differ, experts questioned by CreditCards.com say that leaving out major financial facts (like debt or student loans) or hiding or lying about your purchases can derail trust. They recommend taking time to talk about finances and life goals and, most importantly, being honest with one another about money.