Valentine’s Day is Saturday and the purported “Hallmark holiday” has a way of eliciting strong emotions among both single people and those that are in the relationships. The former grouse about being alone on a romantically focused holiday while the latter bemoan things like spending money and finding dinner reservations at the last minute.

It’s fair to say that an occasion that’s supposed to be a celebration of love and romance may be sorely lacking in either. That doesn’t mean the flames of passion can’t be stoked the other 364 days of the year and there’s a way to accomplish. No, I’m not talking the stuff of heated romance novels. Rather, it should be acknowledged that in today’s dating environment, financial stability is sexy.

Indeed, that’s an interesting because scores of surveys indicate folks would rather talk about their partners’ prior intimate encounters than finances. However, that trend generally skews older. Say what you want about Gen Z, but give that generation credit when it comes to discussing finances, particularly in romantic relationships. They’re not shy about doing so and they get it out of the way early on.

More good news: More people are prioritizing financial stability as a key foundational element in romantic relationships. Just look at some of the following details.

Love Does Cost Something

No indictments here, but lack of financial conversations in romantic settings is largely a relic of baby boomers and, to be fair, one that was passed down to their Gen X children, though Gen X has made some progress on this front.

Yes, there are still plenty of people out there – men and women – viewing money as taboo talk when it comes to personal relationships. A lot of that stems from the perception that some people will only move forward with a relationship if the partner is “rich.” In reality, people are looking for financial stability and it’s entirely possible to be financially stable without being rich.

“Financial stability is now one of the most attractive traits in dating, with 74% of singles prioritizing it and 60% saying compatibility matters more than chemistry in today’s economy,” according to a recent Harris poll.

Boiling it down to simple terms, romance can be quashed by a partner’s inability to hold a job or their high credit card balances. Yes, really.

“Nearly half of singles say expecting someone else to pay most of the time (45%), unstable employment (42%), and bad spending habits (42%) end romantic interest early, while 34% cite credit card debt,” adds Harris.

Look at the Green, Red Flags

The Harris poll also does a great job of laying out the financial green and red flags daters are monitoring. Starting on the negative side of the ledger, two-thirds of respondents say a desire to rapidly merge finances is a red flag. Guys, listen up because 75% of women feel that way. Sixty-three percent of all respondents and 70% of women believe high credit card balances are red flags and nearly half of women feel the same about a prospective partner that’s reluctant to discuss money.

Regarding green flags, they’re surprisingly practical. Apparently, it’s attractive to stick to a budget and invest because half of Harris poll respondents said as much about both issues. The investing point is particularly alluring for Gen X, 60% of which said a dedicated investor is attractive.

Thirty percent of those queried said a partner’s willingness to openly discuss finances is compelling and the same percentage said the same of suggesting lower-cost dates.

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