Irish men are more interested in flashy cars and big houses when weighing up potential partners, according to the latest survey.
A Valentine's Day poll of 10,000 men and 6,500 women carried out by AA Insurance Ireland showed that more men than women admitted to being attracted to material possessions or by what someone did for a living.
In every category men placed a higher importance on material objects than their female counterparts.
Despite the term “gold digger” being traditionally more synonymous with women, AA Insurance can reveal that a higher percentage of males than females admitted that wealth and social standing would influence their taste in partners.
The survey asked both sexes to rank the importance they attached to wealth and social standing when they meet a potential partner.
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Highly paid prestigious professions like medicine and law proved to be most popular among both sexes, surpassing the likes of “a place in the sun”, “a swish pad”, “a sexy set of wheels” and “designer threads”.
Some 32 percent of men rank a potential love interest’s professional status as either “very important” or “somewhat important”, compared with 27 percent of women.
The results showed that 28 percent of men said they would be impressed by someone owning a holiday home, compared with 18 percent of women.
Almost 30 percent of men rated having a big house as important, compared with just 20 percent of women.
“We do, however, warn those looking for love this Valentine's Day not to get too carried away with the results,” AA’s Conor Faughnan said.
“Statistics we gleaned from the same poll suggest that as many as 10 per cent of motorists have at some point bought a car that was beyond their budget for aspirational reasons”.
5 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Yardleypa | Feb 15, 2012, 04:16 PM EST
Old saying : when poverty comes in the door love goes out the window.
Samraire | Feb 14, 2012, 04:06 PM EST
muirisobric: Thank you for the lovely poem! And you're right. He wasn't a Kerryman, but from Tipperary - and I certainly hope he was a "rare wan." I pity the poor woman who ends up with him.
muirisobric | Feb 14, 2012, 11:20 AM EST
Geeeze, Samraire: You must have met a rare wan. Definitely no' a Kerryman. I've seen'em in a Flower Shop. To catch the moment on the hop. And give his love a bunch of roses. A half hour before he proposes. And then repair to the pub. For wine & such & some pub grub. For he has a well laid plan. Known to every Kerryman. Remember always show úr love. And ú'll get blessings from above. Now that's romance for'ye.
Samraire | Feb 14, 2012, 09:02 AM EST
An Irishman - loved flashy things, but was THE cheapest man I ever dated. Had no problem letting me pay for everything and played shocked when I asked if he was ever going to pull his wallet out and step up. He claimed he thought I didn't mind paying since I had "a lot of money." (Hardly true - btw.) Really? Pathetic. I love Ireland dearly, and will return often - but I'll never forget my first and only experience dating an Irishman.
sirpeter | Feb 14, 2012, 08:35 AM EST
95% of people still marry for love not money.Fact