Recession-proof your relationship
Divorce lawyers say they've never been busier thanks to the economic gloom. And statistics suggest that 1 in 6 couples will split up this year due to the credit crunch.
The relationship charity Relate report that they've been much busier since the recession started, 'Relate's had a massive increase in calls,' said Catherine Allen, 'And financial pressure is a large part of the problem,' she said.
Our poll showed that a quarter of you argued about debts with your partner and another quarter voted lack of savings being the cause of a lot of tension. But spending too much on food, the kids and not having enough money to enjoy a holiday were also pretty big reasons for you and your man to argue.
There are many ways money can affect a relationship:
1. Maybe you disagree on how household money should be split or spent
2. Lack of money has made you both stressed and this has put pressure on the relationship
3. Perhaps less cash or a redundancy has affected your partner's confidence, lifestyle or sex appeal - and it was one of these things that first attracted you to them.
But there is hope on the horizon. Money worries don't have to mean divorce, there are lots of things you can do to save your relationship and even make your relationship stronger through the credit crunch.
Agony aunt and author Anita Naik believes that this could be a good chance for you to make your relationship stronger. 'The benefit to your relationship in financially hard times is that to make things work you have to pull together, and this can create a new honesty between the two of you - especially where money is concerned (the root of most couple arguments).'
Read on for 10 expert relationship tips
By Louise O'Connell
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