Science says: we argue the most about yes: money

‘Do you have new shoes again?’ ‘Oh no, I’ve had those for a long time.’ Meanwhile, the shoebox is expertly hidden at the back of the closet. The receipt is burned. Deny until death. New shoes, who? Not me, for sure. Well, it remains a thing. When we argue with our partner, it usually concerns cash flow, as shown in the Nibud report Money and Relationship 2019. Where does it mainly go wrong? Cutting back. Additionally, we often tend to lump our salaries together in the Netherlands, which means the potential difference in income between you and your partner doesn’t play a role. Well, that’s where it goes wrong. What does Nibud advise? To do what one in ten couples does: proportionally divide the joint expenses. If you earn more, you also pay more fixed costs than your partner. Often fighting about money? In that case, it’s worth a try, I would say. I’ve been doing it secretly for years and have never had any hassle, just so you know, dude!