Love Or Liability? 4 Money Red Flags That Could Wreck Your Relationship - Page 4

3. They don’t plan for the future.

A partner who shrugs off savings, lives paycheck to paycheck by choice, or seems fine racking up credit card debt with no plan in sight may not be ready for the financial responsibility a serious relationship requires. While not everyone can build a massive emergency fund overnight, your partner should at least show some initiative to manage money wisely, budget, or plan long-term.

If your partner is showing signs that they are not ready to level up financially, have a serious conversation about their long term goals. Are they comfortable ignoring bills or avoiding savings goals? Do they rely on you to “figure it out” when things get tight? These questions can make or break a relationship.  

To put things into perspective, a 34-year-old woman identified as V told Buzzfeed in 2023 that she was making “$100k more” than her boyfriend at the time, and while there were times she did not mind picking up the tab for fun outings and expenses, their unbalanced financial dynamic eventually began putting “a strain” on the relationship. 

“If I really want to do something, but I know he financially can’t, I will offer to pay for him. It has put a strain on the relationship. I feel he is a bit more resentful toward me and expects me to pick up a majority of the tabs,” V shared. “He also feels like he should be earning more but can’t seem to find a job where he does and has struggled with identity and purpose. I help him through that as much as I can.”