To figure out what’s really going on, try asking someone with a nice car for advice on buying or leasing, Straub said. “When they tell you more about how they bought their car, you can make some educated guesses about their finances, whether they paid all cash, or leased, which means they have decent credit,” he said.
Red flag: If they bought a used car from a buddy and are paying him monthly, that could point to some irregular finances.
If you’re dating a woman with a Chanel bag, you could mention that you saw a company rents designer handbags. Ask if she’s ever done that. At the very least, it could open a conversation about her values, and what she thinks is worth spending money on.
“As you develop a relationship, financial topics are bound to come up here and there,” Straub said. “Someone that dodges any financial question and avoids the subject at all costs — there might be something more to the story they don’t want to be discovered.”
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