Financial Impact of Dating: How Young Adults Accumulate £2,250 in Relationship Debt
- 18–35-year-olds are racking up thousands of pounds of debt from dating
- 3 in 5 say social media has contributed to high expectations around how much they should spend on their partner
- Average debt from dating and relationships is £250 higher for men than women
- To help young people navigate the pressures of money and relationships, Experian has launched a new podcast, hosted by celebrity dating expert and therapist, Anna Williamson
New data from Experian has today revealed the staggering impact of toxic social media narratives on young people’s finances when it comes to dating and relationships, with the average 18-35-year-old racking up £2,2501 of debt.
The data reveals that, for over half of young people (59%), social media influence has contributed to expectations to overspend on their partner or date, and almost two-thirds (63%) believe social media has influenced people to date for money and materialistic reasons over love.
With many young people struggling to manage their finances in the modern world of dating, Experian has launched a new podcast series, The Cost of Loving. Hosted by Celebs Go Dating expert and relationships therapist Anna Williamson, the series provides supportive guidance and encourages healthy conversations about relationships and finance.
Over one-third of men (36%) said they’d browsed a potential date’s social media profile to check if they could afford their lifestyle (vs 28% of women), and 1 in 20 (5%) men have even ended up over £10,000 in debt from funding dates and relationships.
10.1 million 18-30-year-olds, 16.6% are currently in arrears or default2, meaning they have overdue debt or have failed to repay loans. Of the demographic in question, younger men use the greatest proportion of their available credit – with the average credit usage for 18-21-year-old men coming in at 33.4% vs. 25.7% for 26-30-year-old males2.
Launching ahead of Valentine’s Day, the first episode of the Cost of Loving podcast tackles Gender Expectations, and the ever-divisive bill-splitting debate. Whilst 4 in 5 men (60%) said they’d always foot the bill, less than 1 in 5 women (18%) said they preferred to pay – although a quarter (27%) explained
this was because their partner earned more than them. And despite this, 3 in 10 men (30%) have changed their mind about whether they should pay on a first date after seeing influential social media content.
Subsequent episodes in the 5-part series will launch throughout February and March, and cover topics such as Wage Gap Relationships, Debt, Dating & Financial Infidelity, Financial Break-Ups, and Financial Abuse Red Flags. Each episode will see host Anna joined by a range of experts and influential figures in the worlds of dating and finance, from Sunday Times bestselling author, Candice Brathwaite, to money blogger Megan Micklewright aka The Savvy Spender, and ex-Love Islander and motivational speaker Malin Andersson.
With topics and advice to help educate and engage, Experian’s Cost of Loving podcast is available to listen to on Spotify, with Episode 1 available now.
Speaking of the launch, host Anna Williamson said: “Navigating the world of dating and relationships is pretty tough as it is, without factoring in the divisive debates around finances that we’re seeing on social media. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to tackling these kinds of conversations but, with Experian, we’ve launched The Cost of Loving podcast to bring a burst of fun, relatability and accessibility into the equation. As well as having some amazing guests to chat to, I hope the podcast will encourage healthy financial dialogue between partners, as well as tackle some tricky dating-meets-finance questions from listeners.”
James Jones, Head of Consumer Affairs at Experian added: “Managing finances independently is one thing, but bringing a partner into the mix opens up a whole other world of considerations. It’s been sobering to see just how many young people have ended up in financial difficulty due to their dating and relationship experiences, largely due to external pressures. Feeling comfortable enough to discuss financial topics should be a top priority in a relationship. The Cost of Loving is designed to support these conversations and empower young people to confidently manage their finances – both as single people and together with a romantic partner.”
For more information and support on how to improve financial health, head to https://www.experian.co.uk/
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