economy was making many couples think twice before seeking a divorce

Loveless couples are too broke to split | NEWS.com.au AN increasing number of couples choose to stay in loveless relationships because they can't afford to go it alone in the worsening economic climate, relationship experts say. The trend, dubbed the "non-divorce", has resulted in married and de facto couples living together like passionless room-mates rather than spouses, sometimes even openly dating other people. As mortgage and loan interest rates continue to rise, purse strings are tightening. Add to this the surging price of petrol, and the weekly grocery bill going through the roof. One bright side to the gloomy financial situation is that more couples are seeking counselling to repair strained relationships. Others are making extra-sure their marriages are strong to reduce the chance of being left single ... and broke. Relationships Australia counsellor Fiona Hawkins said the economy was making many couples think twice before seeking a divorce. "Some people do unconsciously choose to narrow their options down to staying with a difficult partner because of the financial climate," she said. "I know a woman in her 50s who has a low-paying job, who feels she is going through the motions of a relationship, but will stay with her husband because the alternative is renting on her own. "She feels sharing the house makes good financial sense because then the overheads burden is shared. Repairs, rates, and rents are usually the same no matter how many people live there. "The key issue to consider is whether the cost of housing leaves the person enough money to live on." Typically, couples who practise the non-divorce hash things out, informally, on their own, to avoid legal fees. Social analyst David Chalke, director of market research outfit AustraliaSCAN, said sometimes the arrangement even enabled couples to date other people, while keeping the illusion of marriage for the sake of children and the community. "Many relationships have become more like a house-share for the convenience of sharing bills," he said. "Rather than passion or love being involved, it's become a case of 'I'm off out tonight' and so, 'Fine, don't ask, don't tell'." Dr Brian Sullivan, from the University of Queensland, said financial concerns could cause a couple to stay together even when the relationship was hostile. "If a woman has children and she leaves her husband, she suddenly becomes the breadwinner," he said. "When faced with this, a woman will often decide to stay in the relationship because if she was to leave she would be on the streets, with no viable means of support." Ms Hawkins urged couples in a marriage of financial convenience to seek help. "Often seeking professional support or discussing with a third party can assist the process of deciding what to do," she said. "Couples need to be open, honest and realistic about what they can afford and what will make them happy."