RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Online daters might have better luck finding Mr. or Ms. Right if they swap out the profile picture of their expensive car with an image of their credit score, according to a recent survey by Discover and Match Media Group. The two companies collaborated on the independent survey of online daters to better understand the relationship between finance and romance.
The survey found that a potential date’s credit score could—or perhaps should—be the difference between swiping left or right. For example, 58 percent of online daters say having a good credit score is more attractive than driving a nice car. Likewise, 50 percent think a good credit score is more attractive than an impressive job title, and 40 percent favor a good score over a physically fit body.
“If you have a good credit score, flaunt it,” says Dr. Helen Fisher, Ph.D., chief scientific advisor for Match.com. “When it comes to dating, a good credit score ups your mate value, helping you win a responsible, long-term partner, more so than some other qualities that online daters might highlight on their profile. Money talks, but your credit score can speak more about who you are as a person, and singles agree that those with good credit tend to be conscientious and reliable.”
A credit score is a measure of financial responsibility, which 69 percent of survey respondents say is a very or extremely important quality when looking for a person to date. Financial responsibility rated higher than several other important qualities, as 67 percent say a sense of humor is very or extremely important, 51 percent say attractiveness, 50 percent say ambition, 42 percent say courage and 39 percent say modesty.
Both women and men value financial responsibility, as 77 percent of women and 61 percent of men say financial responsibility is a very or extremely important quality in a potential partner.
What does good credit suggest about a potential date? When asked to identify characteristics of someone with a good credit score, 73 percent of survey respondents said responsible, 40 percent said trustworthy and 38 percent said smart.
“A credit score is an important measure of financial responsibility as it rewards diligence and consistency over time when it comes to managing your finances, not necessarily how much money you make or what you have in the bank,” says Kate Manfred, Discover’s vice president of brand and consumer insights. “Regardless of your credit score, one of the keys to improving your credit health is simply being aware of your score. That knowledge can set you on the path toward improving or maintaining your score. Plus, it can spark an interesting—and important—conversation on a date.”
Anyone interested in checking their FICO® Credit Score1, including those who are not Discover customers, can do so for free by going to Discover.com/CreditScorecard. In addition to a FICO® Score, Discover’s Credit Scorecard provides information and insight into the five categories that contribute to one’s FICO® Score.
Online Daters Are Hesitant to Talk Finances
While online daters think a potential partner’s finances are important, the survey found that the soonest most would feel comfortable disclosing financial details—such as their amount of debt, credit score, income and spending habits—would be within the first six months of a relationship. Just 7 percent or fewer would disclose such info before meeting someone in person.
The majority of survey respondents say they are only slightly comfortable or not comfortable at all with the idea of sharing financial information on a dating app or website. This includes 69 percent who feel slightly comfortable or not comfortable at all sharing information about their amount of debt, 69 percent their credit score, 64 percent their income and 53 percent their spending habits.
The one thing respondents do feel comfortable sharing on a dating website or app is their employment status, as 64 percent feel very or extremely comfortable sharing that information.
Finances Are More Straining than Kids and Politics
Despite their hesitancy, online daters would do well to have the money talk with their partner sooner rather than later. The survey found that finances are a more common relationship strain than goals for the future, career decisions, politics, kids and religion. In fact, the majority of those surveyed, 53 percent, say finances were a source of strain in a past or current relationship, and 18 percent say finances led to a break-up.
Survey Insights Featured in Tinder Ad Campaign
As an extension of the survey, Discover has partnered with Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people and part of the Match Media Group, to launch an ad campaign using Tinder’s native advertising products. Discover-branded profile cards offering relevant finance and dating insights from the survey will be integrated directly within the Tinder user experience.
“We know so much about our audience and what they care about when it comes to dating,” says Peter Foster, Match Media Group’s general manager of advertising and brand solutions. “When Discover approached us about partnering on this survey we were excited to dig deeper into the relationship between finance and romance to give Tinder users real world insights to help them succeed in their dating lives on Tinder and beyond.”
About the Survey
The national survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers, ages 18+, was commissioned by Discover and Match Media Group by C+R Research, an independent survey research firm, between January 30 and February 8, 2017. All survey respondents had either an active account with an online dating platform or met their partner through an online dating platform. The maximum margin of sampling error was ±3 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence.
About Discover
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover card, America's cash rewards pioneer, and offers private student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, checking and savings accounts and certificates of deposit through its direct banking business. It operates the Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation's leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.
About Match Media Group
Match Media Group is the world’s leader in online dating services, with a portfolio of more than 45 brands including Match.com, OkCupid, Tinder, Meetic, and PlentyOfFish. Equipped with data and insights from a network of over 63 million global active users spending 3.3 billion minutes connecting every month, Match Media Group serves as a single point partner for brands to make meaningful connections with a wide and influential audience, leading to increased engagement, sales, and brand awareness. Match Media Group continues to revolutionize the dating landscape with new advertising and data products as well as audience intelligence and activation capabilities launching across its portfolio.
1FICO® Credit Scores provided by Credit Scorecard are based on data from Experian and may be different from other credit scores. See Discover.com/CreditScorecard to learn more. FICO is a registered trademark of the Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.
