Best done differently? Couples’ money pooling and the association with economic conflicts

Abstract

Economic conflicts are likely to affect couples’ relationship, and different strategies of handling money may be important for how common such conflicts are. This study investigates whether couples’ choice of pooling money is associated with the occurrence of economic conflicts and whether different degree of pooling matters differently in different situations in life. The study focuses on whether the respondents experience economic hardship, their age (or cohort), and duration of union. We use the GGS 2012/2013 for Sweden including cohabiting and married respondents aged 20–80. Results from regression models suggest that couples who pool all money have lowest propensity for economic conflicts. Furthermore, to have difficulties making ends meet is associated with economic conflicts, older couples (or of earlier cohorts) are less likely to experience economic conflicts and likewise relationships of long duration less often experience economic conflict. It seems that pooling money is associated with less economic conflicts especially among the couples with economic hardships, among older couples, and couples of longer duration. Thus, pooling of money has a moderating importance for some situations.