Infidelity, or cheating, is something we have all heard of. It is most commonly associated with being unfaithful to your partner with another person. However, most people do not realize that there are more ways to commit infidelity than just that.

Another common example of cheating within a relationship has to do with money. Yes, you heard that right. You know, that one thing that most couples commonly fight over? And can ultimately cause a couple to part ways?

Financial infidelity is more common than you may think. While it’s not a topic you hear much about, there are more ways to commit it than you would believe.

What Is Financial Infidelity?

Just because someone is not being smart about finances does not mean it is infidelity. When someone is committing financial infidelity, it means hiding or lying about financial aspects of their life. But, if they are being deceptive about their finances and hiding it, that is an entirely different story.

What Are The Consequences Of Financial Infidelity?

There are many ways that being deceptive over finances can affect a person’s life. One of the biggest ones is that it can affect relationships. Money is one of the biggest points of tension between couples already. But when there are secrets regarding money, it can have pretty big consequences.

Second, when there is deception surrounding money, it can cause the person committing it to spiral out of control. In some ways, you can think of matters surrounding money as an addiction in this case. People can become addicted to money, for instance, spending it. And when they are hiding their spending habits, the situation will never get better.

3 Ways Someone Can Commit Financial Infidelity

There are different ways that someone can be deceptive surrounding money. These are some of the most common ones.

1. Secret Spending Habits

It might sound crazy, but the urge to spend money and buy things can be uncontrollable. It can cause a person to hide their addiction to shopping.

2. They Hide The Extra Money They Make

Since the pandemic, many people have begun working from home or doing freelance/contractor work. Financial infidelity is when someone brings in extra income but they don’t tell their spouse about it.

Hiding extra income isn’t always a bad thing, however. If they are making extra money to afford a surprise vacation or gift for someone, that is completely different. But, it is a problem when money is hidden away from a spouse so it can be used without their knowledge.

3. Lying About Spending Habits When Money Is Shared

A lot of couples have shared bank accounts. This is when problems surrounding finances can become a huge problem between couples. When contributing money to a bank account, you must know where that money is going. You both must know about these things, from budgets to savings or unexpected bills. But, purchases should be shared and mutually agreed upon.

Stopping The Cycle

Financial infidelity can be just as devastating to relationships as physical or emotional cheating. While it may not seem like that big of a deal to lie about finances, it definitely is a huge problem. If you are the person keeping these types of secrets, it is important to bring them out into the open. More often than not, lying about finances typically means deeper issues are going on. Not only within yourself but in your relationship, as well.

As a licensed therapist, I have worked with many couples to help them recover from financial infidelity. Let’s connect soon so I can help you discuss things in couples counseling.