Loveless Sexless Marriages and Money

I borrowed the title from a phrase used by our friend Preet during a discussion panel on the National. Preet pointed out that the “alleged housing bubble” and high housing prices will be a major friction point in relationships and can end up destroying them. Given the price of houses, some couples are staying together because they can’t afford to move, thus creating ” loveless, Sexless Marriages.”

Money problems can destroy any and all relationships (no matter how much love folks think they are).

The equation is pretty simple: Stress is what really destroys relationships, and the biggest stressor for young couples (and older ones as well) is Money.

The Straws that Will Break the Camel’s Financial Back

Right now, folks may be living “hand to mouth” or “pay cheque to pay cheque”, but all we need now is for the next perfect storm:

• Interest rate increases return to the “norms” of the late 90’s, of 5 or 6%
• Housing market cogitations thanks to the Interest Rates killing (or at least badly maiming) the housing market
• Folks who already owe a great deal in discretionary debt (i.e. Credit Cards and Unsecured Lines of Credit), now having to make higher monthly payments (or maybe just a little bit more but that might be their “tipping point” (to sound more hack-kneed than I normally do)).
• Add a dash of folks owing more on their house than it is now worth (which, if you view your house as a “long-term” investment, you should not be worrying about, but that is for another post). If you only put 5% down to buy your house, it will happen.

You will see a jump in Divorce rates (yes, I have no numbers to back this one up, and I am sure the C.D. Howe Institute and the Banks would argue that this hasn’t happened before), and most certainly a higher stress in many families (i.e. more loveless sexless marriages ).

I put this “Big Cajun Man Wild Ass Theory” forward for disproof by those who view me as a “… doom and gloom profit …”, and yes, I am calling this one. Feel free to comment if you disagree with my statement.