Do love and money go well together? The answer is clearly yes, after reading a Harris Interactive * study for Cetelem Observatory. 76% of French couples interviewed say they share an account with their spouse and 51% even say that all of their income is paid there. This is even more the case among married couples (63%) and in general among long-term couples, details the “ Panorama of love today ” commissioned by the group’s study and economic watch structure. BNP Paribas Personal Finance.
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An account which, although common, hardly hinders the financial autonomy of the spouses since 50% of the interested parties consider themselves completely free of their expenses. 42% say they are partly free, their spouse following their expenses but not controlling them. Only 8% report reinforced control within the couple. A rate that reduces to 1% in people over 65.
Couples shopping, "source of joy"
What about individual expenses, intended to please only oneself? A huge majority of French couples interviewed (84% and even 92% for those over 50) do not see them as a source of conflict. However, 29% of men under the age of 35 are of the opposite opinion, a statistic significantly higher than the average, at 16%.
There are still many - but a little less - who judge purchases made as a couple as "a source of joy": this is the case for 77% when it is necessary to pay "substantial" sums: furniture, housing, car .. But again, this is less obvious for younger couples: for example, 35% of French people whose couple is between their third and tenth year of existence see it as a source of stress, particularly due to the difficulties of distribution that these purchases can pose in the event of separation.
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Even if they were able to financially achieve them alone, 74% of people in a couple say they prefer to share all the consequent expenses with their spouse. The study notes, however, that 36% of men under the age of 35 think the opposite. A strong minority which contrasts with the trend observed among the over 50s, who say they are in favor of joint spending at 82%.
Financial problems do not therefore seem, with a few differences between generations, likely to affect the quality of French couple's life as a couple. They are also great romantics, 83% of them believe in great love, and 80% in love at first sight ...
* Survey conducted online from January 14 to 16 with a sample of 1,036 people, representative of French people aged 18 and over.
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