CompareCredit | A different kind of cheating: What is financial infidelity?
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A different kind of cheating: What is financial infidelity?



It’s no secret that cheating can take many forms. We often think of cheating in terms of physical or romantic infidelity, but there is another kind that doesn’t always make headlines – financial infidelity.

"38% of Americans admit to financial cheating"

Financial infidelity has been on the rise for some time, with many couples struggling to make ends meet and feeling compelled to take matters into their own hands. In fact, a recent survey from Forbes.com found that 38% of Americans admit to financial cheating—hiding purchases or savings from their partner. The most common fibs are about a purchase (49%) and debt (37%).

The issue here is that this type of behavior often leads to bigger problems down the line. If you're not honest with your significant other about where your money is going and how it's being used, trust will be eroded over time and could cause major issues in your relationship—both emotionally and financially speaking.

At its core, financial infidelity comes down to communication: if both parties are open with each other about their finances then there won't be any secrets between them (which would foster an environment of trust). That said, even if you don’t think you’re doing anything wrong by keeping details hidden away, it’s important to remember that dishonesty always has consequences!

Besides simply talking about finances more openly as a couple, one step that can help stop these kinds of issues is creating a budget together so both people know what's expected from them financially within the partnership. This allows partners to work together towards common goals rather than competing against each other – which will ultimately lead them closer towards reaching true financial independence as well as strengthening their bond overall as a couple!

Michael is CompareCredit.com's co-founder and a credit card industry insider. He spent 15 years working for top-tier U.S. banks and helped shape the way people currently compare and apply for credit cards online.

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