Consumer Corner: Are you financially compatible with your partner?

Financial advisor, John Lowe of the MoneyDoctor.ie said all couples should come clean on money matters early on in a relationship.

While chemistry is the number one thing in a new relationship, money is an important discussion

Looks and personality are often top of the list when choosing a partner. However, what is also worth considering is how financially compatible you are as a couple.

When we meet a potential partner we will consider things like how they react to a waitress at a restaurant or how they treat their nieces and nephews. However what can often be overlooked are bank balances or spending habits. Asking questions about debt, savings, investments or who is paying for what can be tricky subjects to approach. We tend to think of money as an awkward topic and we generally don’t do well in Ireland discussing money matters.