- Relationships are a lot like doing business in that they require a considerable amount of time, commitment and good credit to succeed. Nowadays individual credit scores determine virtually everything, including employment status, car insurance rates and if a person is eligible to get a bank loan to start a home. Whether you’re in business or in love, your partner has to be able to pull his or her weight if you plan on having an emotionally and financially secure partnership—platonically or romantically. So before you make your next relationship official, be sure you look out for these seven warning signs that the person you’re dating is potentially a bad investment. <em>—Souleo</em>
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- <strong>Your partner’s cell phone provider gives it up too easily:</strong> In the contemporary digital world virtually everyone has a cell phone but not all cell phone providers are created equal. “It’s a little know secret that certain cell phone companies require a huge deposit if you have poor credit,” says financial expert, <strong><a href="http://thebudgetnista.biz/" target="_blank">Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche</a></strong>. “As a result, those with bad credit are often forced to sign-up with providers that have lower standards because they make allowances for customers with a poor credit score.” According to Aliche, such red flag providers include Sprint, AT&T, Metro PCS and prepaid services. While just having an account with any of these companies doesn’t automatically mean someone has bad credit, it’s worth consideration before adding anyone to your friends and family plan.
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- <strong>Your partner lives on the wrong side of the tracks:</strong> Location, location, location… Many consider that to be the most important indicator of a business’ success. That rule is also transferable to the realm of dating where you may want to investigate why a partner lives in a less than desirable part of town. “Many nicer areas of housing are more strict about credit verses their ‘sketchy’ counterparts,” says Aliche. “So why would someone choose to live someplace where it didn’t seem safe unless they have poor credit or bad financial management?” Of course in this economy there other variables to consider, but how and where someone lives can be indicative of where they are financially.
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- <strong>Your partner complains about their car insurance rates:</strong> While your date may try to impress you with the brand name of his/her car, it’s their insurance rates that will give you a better sense of their financial standing. “The majority of auto insurance companies use your credit score when determining your rates,” says Aliche. “So if your date is complaining of extra high car insurance, that may be a red flag of a poor credit score.” In that case you may want to think twice about riding shotgun before your partner takes you down a path of financial ruin.
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- <strong>Your partner is a “bank bandit”:</strong> If the person you’re dating prefers to cash their checks and/or doesn’t utilize a bank account you may be dealing with what Aliche labels a “bank bandit.” “Some people are bank bandits and run from it ‘cause they owe overdraft fees or have judgments that will get deducted from their bank deposits,” she explains. “This may be a sign that someone is not very responsible with their finances.”
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- <strong>Your partner has more than one, two, three, four…bank accounts:</strong> ATM’s are a source of major convenience, but they can also be a telltale sign of financial ineptitude if your date is frequently using them to transfer money between accounts. According to love expert, <strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Guy-Lockard/119098384818221" target="_blank">Guy Lockard</a></strong> a person who can’t oversee his or her expenses from one account may be irresponsible, undisciplined or downright corrupt. “Someone who is posturing their money may not have it all together and are trying to hide or repurpose their money,” he says. “They may do it to control excessive spending habits.” Of course, the worst-case scenario is if the funds they are transferring don’t even belong to them. “They may even have access to someone else’s account or their job expense account and you don’t want to get caught up in that,” he adds.
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- <strong>Your partner has a fear of credit cards:</strong> According to a 2010 circulation report from major credit card companies, there are approximately <strong><a href="http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-industry-facts-personal-debt-statistics-1276.php" target="_blank">1.5 billion credit cards</a></strong> in use in the United States. If your partner is one of those without a credit card and/or who prefers to use their debit card as credit then you may want to seriously investigate why. “In these days and times pulling from a checking account with all of the identity theft issues is not a smart thing to do,” says Lockard. “Plus, so many credit cards offer rewards, benefits and they help you establish credit to move forward in life. It makes no sense not to have a credit card.” While some may just be wary of falling into the credit card trap, there are those that have no choice in the matter because they have a low credit rating and his or her applications are rejected.
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- <strong>Your partner is a credit fugitive…but there may be hope:</strong> The phone rings constantly throughout the day and early evening and your partner refuses to answer. Or worse, you’re constantly meeting your partner somewhere new because they frequently have a new residence. While financial expert, <strong><a href="http://www.hefreemanenterprises.com/" target="_blank">Harrine Freeman</a></strong> notes such warning signals, she says before rushing to judgment one should attempt to have an open and honest conversation about credit. “In 2010, FICO Inc. showed that 25.5% of consumers—about 43.4 million people—have a credit score of 599 or below,” she states. “Many people have bad credit so don’t jump to conclusions. Find out the whole story before making decision if you want to continue dating them.”
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funny, the lead photo infers that the guy is the one with all the money problems…..O’RLY.
Another thing to lookout for are people who can’t rent cars while on vacation.
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“Your partner lives on the wrong side of the tracks” Aliche, gentrification alone kills your theory behind that statement. Also nowadays every phone provider offers some sort of pre-paid plan. How about someone with no savings account? Someone always expecting you to pay when out and about? Someone who still wears summer clothes in the dead of winter, lol. Well in my eyes if you make less than 65K and you shop for clothes in excess, and have debt over 4K that’s a red flag, also caking your face with makeup, is another red flag, etc etc
The most obvious sign: your lover not only cannot provide a balance sheet and income statement, he doesn’t even know what you are talking about!
So women only want men with money? Sounds too familiar.
You’re missing the point. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you should only want a partner who handles money responsibly, whether they have a little or a lot. Money is the number one reason couples fight and a major contributor to failed relationships. It is critical that these issues are brought to light and addressed early in relationships, not as an excuse to automatically reject the object of your affection, but the have a chance to address the problems before they destroy the potential of the relationship. If the person with the problem is dishonest or refuses to talk about their money situation, entering into a committed relationship will only lead to disaster, both emotional and financial.
I totally agree with what you said.
I’ve been in relationships where she had her financial house in order and I couldn’t spell bank account. It was not fair to spread your financial “virus” to people that didn’t help you get there in the first place.
You Sir/Madam are the enemy of confusion eevwrhyere!
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Great comments.
I like what Susie Orman said “people 1st money second”…..I think there are a lot of reasons why people have financial issues…..those examples are some definite signs that someone has bad credit…..I don’t think its always a deal breaker…..people can always improve their credit score…..its something to figure out.
When I read this I found that I fit all seven signs, but thank God I found a partner just like me and have been happily married 25 years.
I think the article is a bit generalized in some areas, especially as it relates to today’s economy. There are some people who have moved from paying 100 or more a month for cell phones to something like a Metro PCS because it makes more sense for them. Living in a certain neighborhood may provide a lower mortgage or rent. Using debit cards could be about living within your means instead of credit. I believe there are other more notable signs to look for. I also think that the writer could have listed the warning signs that really outweigh some of the points discussed. A drug dealer could easily pass the points listed here. Madoff would certainly pass on the items listed here. Does that mean someone who exhibited these attributes would be a good investment in terms of relationship?
I agree with @Alfred. If you notice certain areas that concern you, then these are points to be discussed.
This is the most ridiculous article I’ve seen in quite awhile.
1: “Your partner’s cell phone provider gives it up too easily” There’s so many new companies out there trying to gain & retain business, the competition is steep. They’re more inclined to do what they can to get anyone as a customer so that they have “numbers” for their monthly stats.
2: “Your partner lives on the wrong side of the tracks” Seriously?! Do they know how expensive it is to live now? Not to mention, from a law enforcement standpoint, it’s often the high end apartments ($800mnth+) in which the “high end drug dealers/manufacturers” reside. There’s plenty of pple who live on the “wrong side of the tracks”, bc crime rates have increased due to unemployment. Pple often remain in these areas in an attempt to build a savings to move up & forward, & these are also the same reason more adults are moving back home with their parents. Really, if you think this is an issue, talk to someone abt why they live where they do.
3: “Your partner complains about their car insurance rates” A lot of pple don’t realize that most insurance companies don’t reward you for being a loyal customer. They often remain with the same company for years simply bc it’s all they’ve ever known. EVERYONE should “insurance shop” at least once a year, it honestly won’t hurt anyone for you to do it.
4: “Your partner is a ‘bank bandit’” I think it says a lot abt someone who cashes their check, pays their bills, & gets it done & over with. Some pple just don’t want the hassle of having to keep up with bank charges, fees, & when something will post to an account.
5: “Your partner has more than one, two, three, four…bank accounts” This is abt the only one I can understand as a bad thing. The only retort I have is that some pple have had an account for a decade or more with one bank but find another with a better offer. It’s better to be safe than sorry nowadays, look at how many banks are being bought out, so they keep the original accnt then open another one. I personally have 4 accnts at 4 diff banks that I’ve acquired over 15yrs, 2 or which I rarely use & are better savings than the others bc they’re at local credit unions. It’s that simple.
6: “Your partner has a fear of credit cards” Considering the state of the economy, interest rates, & how credit card companies have made the news more & more bc of they way they’ve treated customers & jacked up rates, I can understand why pple are afraid of credit cards. They may also know someone, an ex or relative, who is deep in debt bc of something like that, watching a person do that can be traumatic, or they may own up to “I’m bad with credit cards, I don’t need them”…which frankly makes them an even more financially responsible person bc they know this & stay away from it.
7: “Your partner is a credit fugitive…but there may be hope” This doesn’t necessarily make them a “risk” as it does human capable of mistakes. A lot of pple get into something they weren’t prepared for, get in over their head, & don’t know how to get out. They may have never received any kind of “credit education” & are unsure of their options. A lot of pple also have student loans or medical bills that have caused their credit to rating to decline. This is a different type of “credit risk” but still will lower your credit score. There are ways to fix it, it’s just a matter of how to do it.
It’s important to find out WHY pple have what they have, or don’t have. While this article does give some basic info, it doesn’t truly address the “real world” & the majority of pple possibly in these situations.
This is the most classist article I’ve seen in a long time from so called black informed educated magazine.. Disgusting!!!
This article really caught my attention until I read the part about having to have a credit card.Yes there are perks to having credit cards but those perks promote spending money that doesn’t really belong to you and you’re going to pay interest on that debt. Credit cards are not necessary at all. The economic climate is already bad. Why would a person use credit cards. I say don’t buy unless you have the cash. In order for our people to escape bondage we can’t continue putting ourselves in positions to be slave to the lender.