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Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How rising living costs are changing the way we date, live and love
If it feels like rising prices are affecting your dating life or friendships, you're not imagining it. Around the world, economic pressures are taking a significant toll on personal relationships. From strained romantic partnerships to postponed life milestones, financial uncertainty is changing the way people connect and relate to with one another. Young adults in their 20s and 30s, in particular, are facing an altered social landscape where even the most fundamental aspects of relationships are being influenced by financial realities. Dating today can feel like a mix of endless swipes, red flags and shifting expectations. From decoding mixed signals to balancing independence with intimacy, relationships in your 20s and 30s come with unique challenges. Love IRL is the latest series from Quarter Life that explores it all. These research-backed articles break down the complexities of modern love to help you build meaningful connections, no matter your relationship status. Financial stress and relationship strain Money has long been one of the biggest sources of conflict in relationships, but today's economic landscape has made financial stress an even greater burden. In Canada, a staggering 77 per cent of couples report financial strain, and 62 per cent say they argue over money. The rising cost of rent, food and everyday expenses has forced many couples to make difficult financial decisions, sometimes at the expense of their relationship. These concerns are not unique to Canadian couples. A study in the United Kingdom found that 38 per cent of people in a relationship admit to having a secret account or 'money stashed away' that their partner doesn't know about. And in the United States, couples surveyed reported having 58 money-related arguments per year. Even more concerning, financial instability is affecting how long relationships last. A recent RBC poll found 55 per cent of Canadians feel they need to be in a relationship to afford their lifestyle. The economic barriers to independence are particularly pronounced for those contemplating separation or divorce. Traditionally, a breakup meant one partner moving out, but now more divorced and separated couples are finding themselves cohabitating simply because they can't afford to live alone. Understanding how to maintain a healthy relationship when facing financial troubles is essential for couples to navigate these difficult times. Postponing major life decisions The cost-of-living crisis is also delaying key life milestones for young adults worldwide. A Statistics Canada survey found that 38 per cent of young adults have postponed moving out due to economic uncertainty, an increase from 32 per cent in 2018. This issue is not only delaying the journey to independent adulthood, it is also reversing it. For example, in the United Kingdom, one in five young adults who moved out have had to move back into their family home due to the cost of living crisis. Housing affordability plays a major role in these delays. With housing prices soaring in Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and elsewhere, home ownership feels out of reach for many. For instance, 55 per cent of young Canadians report the housing crisis is fuelling their decision to delay starting a family. These delays have cascading effects on individuals and on broader societal trends, including lower fertility rates and shifts toward smaller families. Dating in a cost-conscious era One side effect of the rising cost of living is that couples are moving in together sooner than they might have otherwise in order to split living expenses. Others are adopting a more pragmatic approach to dating and bringing up topics like financial stability, job security and housing much earlier in their relationships. A dating trend known as 'future-proofing' is also spreading. According to Bumble's annual trend report, 95 per cent of singles say their worries about the future are impacting who they date and how they approach relationships. Top concerns include finances, job security, housing and climate change. Read more: At the same time, financial strain is leading to simpler and cheaper date nights. More than half of Canadians say the rising cost of living is affecting dating. Many people are opting for budget-friendly activities like coffee dates, picnics or home-cooked meals instead of expensive dinners or weekend getaways. In the U.K., inflation and other day-to-day expenses have also made 33 per cent of the nation's young singles less likely to go on dates. Around one-quarter of them say it has made them less likely to seek out a romantic partner altogether. These costs are forcing single Americans to adjust their dating plans. With 44 per cent of single Americans reporting adjusting a date for financial reasons, and 27 per cent outright cancelling plans due to financial pressures, it is clear that the cost of living is fundamentally changing how Americans date. Also, with 38 per cent of dating Canadians saying the costs associated with dating have negatively impacted their ability to reach their financial goals, some are even skipping dating altogether. The cost of friendship Friendships, too, are feeling the pinch. Gone are the days of casually grabbing dinner or catching a concert on the weekend. Nearly 40 per cent of Canadians, 42 per cent of Britons and 37 per cent of Americans have cut back on social outings due to financial constraints. While this may seem like a small sacrifice, the decline in social interactions carries serious consequences. Regular social engagement is critical for mental health, resilience and career development. The more social activities are reduced, the greater the risk of loneliness and isolation — two factors that can significantly impact emotional well-being. For many, socializing now means opting for budget-friendly alternatives. However, even with creative adjustments, financial pressures are making it harder to maintain strong social ties. The changing landscape of connection If you're in your 20s or 30s, you've probably felt the way the economic realities of today are reshaping what relationships look like. Rising costs are influencing everything, from who you live with, how you date and when — or if — you take major life steps. Maybe you've moved in with a partner sooner than planned to split rent, swapped nights out for budget-friendly hangs or put off milestones like starting a family. You're not alone. Financial pressures are redefining how we connect with each other. Finding ways to maintain strong relationships under economic stress is essential. Research shows providing emotional support to your partner, employing positive problem-solving skills and engaging in open communication are key maintaining high-quality relationships. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organisation bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Melise Panetta, Wilfrid Laurier University Read more: Love in the age of conspiracy: 5 tips to deal with disinformation and political polarization in relationships How embracing the cringe can help your dating life How to cope with romantic rejection – a psychologist's advice Melise Panetta does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How to deal with racism in an intimate relationship
Relationships between people of different ethnic or racial backgrounds have become increasingly common. Research indicates that more adolescents and young adults are entering into inter-ethnic relationships, and survey data from the United States shows that an increasing number of people have a favourable view of these relationships. Inter-ethnic relationships are often seen as an act of love that conquers racism since people from different backgrounds overcome marginalization to create inter-ethnic families. While these bonds can potentially decrease prejudice against members of racialized groups, cross-cultural connections are also vulnerable to the far-reaching influence of racism. No one's 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you're not alone. Read more from Quarter Life: Four ways you can feel empowered as a plus-size traveller this summer – according to experts Choosing singlehood? Here are 5 tips for thriving while being single How to know when it's time to start therapy Racism is a system of domination and oppression that is deeply rooted in colonization and slavery, where whiteness was idealized and every other ethnic group was dehumanized. Racialized people who are not white are also susceptible to endorsing this false hierarchy, leading to racism between racialized minority groups. We use the term 'intimate racism' (inspired by the term intimate partner violence) to highlight that racism exists in close relationships, and that it requires special attention. Intimate racism can take many forms, ranging from hostile insults and racial slurs to more subtle, pervasive everyday microaggressions (for example, a parent stereotyping their child as less smart because of their racialized identity). Intimate racism can also touch on prejudices against racialized people that are particular to physical and emotional intimacy, which show up differently in our familial and romantic relationships. From childhood, we depend on our parents and family to support and guide us, helping us form secure attachments as well as stable and loving bonds within our families and with others as we grow and expand our social connections. These days, multiracial families are more common. However, parents of multiracial children may not always understand their children's realities with racism, they may not be able to support their racialized children against racism and they may discriminate against their racialized children, shaking the very foundations of the family bonds. Mixed-race children have reported favouritism for lighter skin colour and isolation within their families, as well as having their racial identities denied and stereotyped by family members. In a study on microaggressions in families, one mixed-race research participant told researchers: 'Even though my skin was darker, I had straight hair, I had the white features and I behaved the way a white girl should behave, and so my grandmother always favoured me and was much nicer to me and horrible to my sister.' In addition, transracial adoption has a long history of racialized children being forced into white families and institutions in order to erase their heritage and cultural identity. This legacy has endured, with many white adoptive families thinking they need to 'save' racialized children from their minority families by erasing their backgrounds and cutting them off from their community. Racialized adoptees in white families have shared that they experience identity erasure, denial of racism's existence and microaggressions and insults from the very people who are supposed to protect them. Such experiences expose them to racial isolation and violence. Our close relationships are supposed to be safe from racism; our meaningful connections with people who we know accept us, love us and see us for who we are can act as a protection from the harms of oppression. So when we experience racism from our loved ones, it is a violation of the shared trust, safety and intimacy that we need from those who are supposed to be closest to us. When it comes to romantic partners, our attractions can sometimes be coloured by exposure to media and messages that frame racialized people as 'exotic' or inferior. People in inter-ethnic romantic relationships have shared experiences where their partner sought them out to fulfil fantasies based on degrading racist sexual stereotypes. Racialized people can also be stereotyped by their partners. These stereotypes can also be echoed by family and friends, who may view an inter-ethnic relationship as unserious and hold negative views of a partner based on racial stereotypes. In a study of intimate racism conducted by one of us (Maya A. Yampolsky) and colleagues, a Black participant said: 'My former partner accused all Jamaican males of being cheaters and liars.' When people experience intimate racism, they also experience greater distress, trauma and negative impacts on their well-being. The impact extends beyond individual hurt to the relationship dynamic, rupturing trust and affection for our loved ones, and leading to strained or even dissolved relationships. Groups that are subject to more than one source of marginalization (because of race, gender, class, ability and so on) face multiple oppressions with intimate racism. Racialized women face sexist expectations of submissiveness, and queer racialized people often experience both racism in LGBTQ2S+ spaces and homophobia or transphobia in their racial communities. There isn't enough research that looks at resolving intimate racism yet, but we can draw on findings from couples conflict, anti-racism repairs and social therapy for inspiration. Interracial couples who value the importance of ethnic identities and multiculturalism are more likely to recognize racism at large, and how it can influence their relationship, which may help prevent intimate racism from showing up in these relationships. We know that repairing harm from racism involves acknowledging the impact rather than the intent of our actions, recognizing our own biases and how they appear in our life, apologizing sincerely and committing to changing our behaviour in the future. Social therapy can also provide tools to address racial tensions and change harmful relationship dynamics by encouraging open conversations about race, and allowing partners and families to explore how history has shaped their ways of loving, accepting or rejecting one another. Ultimately, tackling intimate racism is part of our work to dismantle racism at the roots of all our social institutions so that racism doesn't creep into our cherished connections. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organisation bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Maya A. Yampolsky, Université Laval; Iman Sta-Ali, Université Laval; Libera Amadiwakama Mochihashi, University of Calgary, and Renaud Dion-Pons, Université Laval Read more: Trump's first term polarized teens' views on racism and inequality Donald Trump thinks some accents are 'beautiful,' but what makes them so? Kirsty Coventry and whiteness in Zimbabwe: how sport can rewrite the political rules Maya A. Yampolsky has received funding from both the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Fonds de recherche du Québec. Iman Sta-Ali, Libera Amadiwakama Mochihashi, and Renaud Dion-Pons do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
