While you were focused on your compatibility between the sheets and how his shoes didn’t match his belt on the first date, it turns out other ladies have much bigger concerns. Specifically, the size of their potential partner’s bank account. If you were thinking anything else, please get your mind out of the gutter.
Okay, so maybe it’s not exactly how many zeros are in a man’s bank account that makes him more or less appealing in terms of dating and romance, but a survey found that if he isn’t using his funds properly, that can give a whole lot of women the ick. When I say properly, what I specifically mean is, his credit score better be good, or he isn’t getting a date.
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Credit scores aren’t the most romantic of topics to bring up over a candlelit dinner. However, it’s an important topic and one that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. It’s so important, in fact, that a survey by Freecreditscore.com found that 75% of single women would choose not to date a man if his credit score was hurting.
Men didn’t feel quite the same way, however. Only 57% of men said they would turn down a date with a woman because of her credit score. A representative of Freecreditscore.com noted, “Our survey shows most people consider a partner’s ability to manage money before saying ‘I do. Women are clearly more focused on this than men, but a lot of guys say they are thinking about things like the future co-signing of loans or how one partner’s bad credit score may impact the other. It makes sense in this economy that we see increased scrutiny from both men and women; a low credit score is a warning of potential problems down the road.”
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For most people, talking about money, especially in the getting-to-know-you stage of dating, is considered taboo, kind of like diving too deeply into past relationships. Gen Z is trying to change all that, however, and for good reason. With the economy the way it is, Gen Z isn’t messing around when it comes to financial stability, and that includes the financial stability of anyone they might share their life with.
A 2025 survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Chime found that among 2000 singles, half of Gen Z said they consider it a turn-on when a casual date is transparent about money, specifically about how much money they make.
When speaking about credit scores and relationships, Mike Cetera, a Bankrate.com credit analyst, said, “It shouldn’t be a confrontation, especially if you suspect your partner has weaker credit than you do. Instead, start a more lighthearted conversation about money in general. Something like, ‘My friend’s boyfriend is having a hard time keeping up with his bills. Not being able to pay on time really scares me… what do you think?’ will get you started without accusing anyone of anything.”
You’ll start to get a sense of your date’s money philosophy and feel comfortable sharing your own experiences. “You shouldn’t move in with or marry someone without having a solid understanding of both their debts and their spending habits,” Cetera continued.
“Difficulty getting a mortgage is often highlighted as the biggest impact of bad credit, but the reach goes much farther,” Cetera said. “Landlords frequently check credit before approving a lease, so you may not even be able to rent a home. And if your credit is bad, your utility companies may require that you put down a security deposit.”
A bad credit score can also put you in a poor position when it comes to applying for jobs and obtaining a vehicle.
While dating someone with bad credit isn’t all that bad, since you can put everything in your name, it does require you to take a lot more risk. So, if you’re looking at your credit score and starting to realize that it may be costing you dates, you’ll want to work on raising it.
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Shannon Ullman is a writer who focuses on travel and adventure, women’s health, pop culture, and relationships. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, MSN, and Matador Network.
