the myth of being financially “ready” for love

For today’s young adults, their wallets have started determining their love lives.

According to a new survey from Alinea Invest, 83% of young adults say they feel financially unprepared for major life milestones. Nearly half skip dates to save money. Over half experience anxiety about dating costs. And almost half have avoided dates entirely because of financial concerns.

Let that sink in.

Connection has become negotiable.

Three out of four respondents say they’ve sacrificed their mental health in pursuit of financial stability. Half turn to social media for financial advice — looking for answers in algorithms because traditional stability feels increasingly out of reach.

This isn’t frivolous. Financial anxiety is real. Inflation is real. Rent is real. Debt is real.

But something else is happening too.

I’ve been noticing a pattern — not just in Gen Z, but across age groups. People are postponing dating because they don’t feel “prepared.”

Prepared emotionally. Prepared financially. Prepared lo…