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MONEY is the main cause of arguments between couples, creating more friction than lazy husbands, bad manners and mother-in-laws, a new study has shown.
Finance issues, from secret savings to excessive use of the joint account by one partner, are behind more domestic disputes than anything else, the research into 1,000 couples discovered.
Opportunities for Meet the Parents-style mishaps during visits from the dreaded in-laws were another cause of disputes, the study by Legal and General insurance found.
Most other arguments were caused by bad manners and other inconsiderate behaviour such as refusing to do household chores, being late and hogging the remote control.
"Putting on weight" was named as the eighth most common cause of arguments.
Dr Cynthia McVey, a psychologist at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "The top ten causes of arguments reflect the general concerns of society now, such as money, control and looks, rather than whether a person is nice or not. Another thing this reflects is changes in society."
She said that because more women go out to work and have more financial independence, they expect fair division of chores and equal say in decision making - whether about finance or who controls the TV.
"It is easier for women to leave a relationship if they want to, so they are not just going to keep quiet about things that make them unhappy."
Denise Knowles, a counsellor with Relate, said many of the triggers named in the list showed a lack of good manners.
"Often people are so busy rushing around they don't make time for common courtesy.
"My advice is to slow down, and make couple time."
The study found fitness fanatics row less about money - for them, financial arguments account for only 10 per cent of fall-outs compared to 25 per cent of disputes among people who only exercise to look good for a special occasion.
A spokeswoman for Legal and General said: "We found that those who eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly also achieve balance in the rest of their lives - arguing least - whereas those that admit to being more 'superficial' and only exercising or dieting to look good are most likely to row."
The report said one reason for this could be that regular exercise reduces stress.
Dr McVey said: "Another reason could be that if they agree about healthy eating and exercise it means they have a shared interest and are doing things in common."
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