Married people are unhappier in their marriages as a result of the cost of living crisis and many are turning to open relationships

* The majority of married people (78%) revealed they are unhappier in their marriages as a result of the cost of living crisis.

* 1 in 3 people considering divorce say that the high costs involved are an obstacle, which has led spouses to find a cheaper alternative.

* Open marriages are becoming increasingly popular, allowing couples to satisfy their emotional and physical needs while remaining legally bound – avoiding the burden of divorce.

* Study conducted by IllicitEncounters.com, the UK’s largest extramarital dating site

As the cost of living crisis tightens its grip on households, marriages find themselves navigating uncharted waters, with financial challenges placing massive strain on relationships. 

With divorce rates at their lowest since 1971, you might think that couples in the UK are doing a great job of maintaining a solid relationship despite the financial woes they’re experiencing. 

But, it turns out distinctive trends are emerging – couples are increasingly turning to open relationships as an unexpected lifeline to weather the economic storm, or they’re using infidelity as a coping mechanism.

A study by extramarital dating site IllicitEncounters.com revealed that a staggering 78% of spouses are unhappier in their marriages due to the cost of living crisis. 

Polling 1,500 of its members, one in three married people who are contemplating divorce see the prohibitive costs associated with the process as a significant obstacle, preventing them from pursuing the traditional route to separation.

As a result, a new trend has emerged – infidelity as a coping mechanism. For some couples, engaging in extramarital affairs has become a means of making their relationships more bearable when divorce seems financially unattainable. 

However, an even more shocking development is the rising number of couples turning to open relationships as a cheaper alternative to traditional divorce.

18% of those polled who are considering divorce but are unable to afford it have opted for open relationships with their spouses, openly seeing other people with their partner’s blessing.

Dominic from Newcastle who took part in the survey said, “We’d been on rocky ground for over a year – we’d tried marriage counselling but it just made us more hostile towards each other. 

Divorce seemed inevitable, but the costs were a roadblock and that’s when IllicitEncounters.com became our unexpected lifeboat.

Although the love might not be there anymore, we do still respect one another and we both want each other to be happy. So, knowing that we wouldn’t be able to face the financial strain of divorce at the moment, we mutually agreed that we should see other people.

It’s had such a huge positive effect on us mentally and emotionally.”

Jessica Leoni, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com said, “Despite divorce rates reaching their lowest point since 1971, the decline isn’t necessarily an indication of marital bliss – it actually conceals dissatisfaction in relationships that stems from economic challenges.

We’re seeing more and more couples on the site who, rather than ending their marriages, have chosen transparency and openness about seeing other people as a way to satisfy their emotional and physical needs while remaining legally bound – avoiding the financial and emotional burden of divorce.

It turns out consensual non-monogamy is the secret to a long-lasting marriage!”