Hey big spender, people who tend to save money rather than spend it are considered more attractive than you, according to a recent working paper out of the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.
The paper, entitled "A Penny Saved is a Partner Earned: The Romantic Appeal of Savers," asked 282 adults to review the dating profiles of both savers and spenders. The survey responders then ranked the profiles on a scale of one to seven in terms of compatibility. Savers received an average score of 5, while spenders consistently came in behind, with an average score of 4, according to the Los Angeles Times.
What makes a saver attractive might have to do more with personality than the money itself. They survey's authors, Jenny Olson and Scott Rick, said savers tend to exhibit a larger sense of self-control, which can comfort a potential partner and often translates into self-control in other aspects of life, such as dieting and exercise. Conversely, excessive spending suggests a tendency toward irresponsible behavior.
The survey results add to a growing body of evidence that Americans prefer their partners exert some fiscal responsibility. For example, a large majority of daters consider a good credit score a necessary requirement in any potential date, according to nationwide interviews of single daters under 40.
Some dating websites have caught on, and today creditscoredating.com and datemycreditscore.com actually allow users to share credit score information with others. Watch those credit cards, people.