Secret Shopping Sprees Can Contribute to Divorce

When someone starts to spend money behind their spouse's back, they might not realize the harm they could be doing to their marriage. No matter who it is, both spouses can sometimes be guilty of spending money in a way that their partner would disagree with. When it becomes a habit, it can cause arguments, and in some cases it could be the last straw before a divorce.

Although there are usually many other factors that contribute to a person deciding they want to divorce their spouse, one in 10 people who do divorce say that a spouses secret spending habits contributed to the divorce in some way.

Being honest about finances can sometimes help, but if a couple can never compromise on spending or constantly has disagreements about purchases, they might find it difficult to maintain their marriage.

In this study, women were more likely to hide purchases from their spouse, and men were more likely to spend more. Another recent study found that arguments about money, which could be related to secret shopping sprees, were one of the main predictors of divorce.

While financial education and counseling on these issues might help some couples, others might still decide to divorce. Speaking with an experienced Harrisburg divorce attorney might be a wise decision. They can help a person understand the divorce process and work to protect assets that might be quickly spent when someone discusses divorce with their spouse. An attorney can advocate for a person's best interests throughout the process.

Source: Huffington Post, "Secret Credit Card Spending And Divorce Linked In New Survey," Oct. 14, 2013