New Survey Reveals: Money Number One Cause Of Conflict For Engaged Couples, Newlyweds And New Parents

NEW YORK, Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; www.xogroupinc.com), a global media and technology leader and creator of leading websites TheKnot.com, TheNest.com and TheBump.com, and Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co., today announced the results of an across-lifestage survey titled "Why Couples Clash" exploring the sources and frustrations behind couples' financial clashes.

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Polling more than 2,100 engaged, married or pregnant women across XO Group websites, the survey's results reveal what is at the root of arguments at every lifestage: money. For example, half of engaged couples argue about money and finances while planning their wedding. And one-third of married couples also argue about when to start a family, with more than half of these couples (61 percent) unsure if they have the money to have a family.

"Every couple argues; it's perfectly normal," said Carley Roney, XO Group cofounder. "We wanted to get to the cause of the issues that come up at key moments in couples' lives and find out why they clash so that we can offer help."

Honest and upfront conversations about financial priorities, as well as saving and spending styles, are the key to success, according to Rachana Bhatt, director, Chase. "Wedding planning, marriage, home buying and raising a child are all major money decision moments," said Bhatt. "Keep the lines of communication open, talk to your spouse or partner in a language they understand, and develop a financial plan that works for both of you and your budgets."

Chase Blueprint, a free set of financial-management features available on select Chase credit cards, was created in part to help cardholders organize their finances and empower them to manage their spending and borrowing through all of life's stages.

Key Findings: Engaged Couples

When it comes to wedding planning, achieving a fairy-tale ending can seem like an uphill battle – but it doesn't have to be.

• The Best Way to Spend? More than half (55 percent) of engaged couples have tiffs over whether their wedding is the best way to spend the money they have. The process of planning a wedding is a good time in life to ensure that couples have a financial plan in place for the wedding and beyond.
• Budget Gets in the Way. Of the couples who clash about money and finances, about half (49 percent) fight because they don't have the budget to have the wedding they want, so each and every planning detail becomes stressful to them.
• Family Politics Burden. When parents contribute financially to the wedding, things can also get heated. Among couples where family politics has caused issues, 22 percent fought because their parents were giving them money for the wedding and then thought that gave them license to help plan, too.

Key Findings: Married Couples

Three out of four married couples disagree about money and expenses. But with the right tools, financial bliss and marital bliss don't have to be mutually exclusive.

• Money at Root of Arguments. With the majority of couples arguing about money and expenses, nearly half of these couples (45 percent) do so because they want nice things but don't have the budget for them, and 41 percent disagree on where to spend their money.
• Who's More Frugal? Among couples who argue about expenses, nearly one out of three (30 percent) wives say they are more frugal than their partners. (How's that for kicking the stereotype?)
• Family Timeline Causes Issues. Of the 34 percent of couples who disagree about when to start a family, about one-third say they are not sure if they're ready for the responsibility of raising children.

Key Findings: Pregnant Couples

When it comes to planning for a baby, more than half (58 percent) of expecting respondents said they didn't wait until they were financially secure to get pregnant.

• Financial Preparedness During Pregnancy. Of those who are currently expecting, three out of four wish they were more financially secure at this point in their pregnancy. Furthermore, one in ten think they aren't financially prepared at all for the cost of their approaching child.
• How to Afford Baby. One-third (35 percent) of pregnant couples argue about whether they can afford their baby, with 68 percent of these couples unsure if their current income is enough.
• Timing a Problem. Twenty-two percent of expecting couples wish they had a little more time to themselves before they have children.
• What Causes Worry. Affording children and giving them the life they deserve is the number one worry of couples having a baby (30 percent).

About XO Group Inc.
XO Group Inc. (NYSE: XOXO; http://www.xogroupinc.com), is a global media and technology leader devoted to weddings, pregnancy and everything in between, providing young women with the trusted information, products and advice they need to guide them through the most transformative events of their lives. Our family of premium brands began with the #1 wedding brand, The Knot, and has grown to include WeddingChannel.com, The Nest, The Bump, The Blush and Ijie.com. XO Group is recognized by the industry for being innovative in all media – from the web to social media and mobile, magazines and books, and video – and our groundbreaking social platforms have ignited passionate communities across the world. XO Group has leveraged its customer loyalty into successful businesses in online sponsorship and advertising, registry services, ecommerce and publishing. The company is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (XOXO) and is headquartered in New York City. Follow XO Group on Twitter @xogroupinc.

About Chase Blueprint
Chase Blueprint is an industry-first set of free features that dramatically improves the way Chase customers can manage their spending and borrowing. Blueprint helps consumers take charge of their finances, pay down balances faster, avoid interest on everyday purchases (even when they carry a balance), pay off major purchases while saving on interest, and track their purchases against their customized spending goals. Blueprint is available on all Chase Freedom®, Chase Sapphire^SM, Slate from Chase^SM, and Ink from Chase^SM cards.  For more information, visit www.chase.com/blueprint.

About Chase
Chase is the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase & Co., a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.3 trillion and operations in more than 60 countries. Chase serves more than 50 million consumers and small businesses through more than 5,500 bank branches, 17,500 ATMs, credit cards, mortgage offices, and online and mobile banking as well as through relationships with auto dealerships. More information about Chase is available at www.chase.com.

Contact:
Stephanie Fraiman
Public Relations Manager
XO Group Inc.
(212) 515-3595
[email protected]

Erin Smolenski
Communications and Public Affairs
Chase Card Services
(302) 282-8460
[email protected]

SOURCE XO Group Inc.