Can Giving Up Money And Material Things Lead To More Love?

Life is full of tradeoffs, as we often say in economics. But a recent study suggests that couples who make money and material things less of a priority have better marriages. So it looks like you can trade money for love. See Materialism May Erode Couples' Relationships. Excerpts:

"Couples who place money and material things high up in their order of priorities are generally less happy than couples who believe money and possessions are not important, researchers from Brigham Young University, Utah, USA reported in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy. The authors say their research confirms The Beatles lyrics "Can't Buy Me Love" holds true - "the kind of thing that money just can't buy is a happy and stable marriage"."

"Their statistical analysis found that couples who did not feel money and possessions were important scored approximately 10% to 15% higher on marriage stability and other relationship measures, compared to those who did."

"...the detrimental effects of materialism occur despite income levels - i.e. it has a negative effect on those with and without money."

See earlier posts on related topics:

What Do Men In China Need To Get A Bride?

Adam Smith, Marriage Counselor

A Special Valentine's Message On Romantic Love

Can You Put A Price Tag On Love?

Do Opposites Attract? Not Usually, Except Maybe When It Comes To Money

Return of the Love Headhunters