Dubai: People have various reasons for keeping a secret stash of savings and chief among them is to maintain independence.

According to Prudential’s survey, 51 per cent of the respondents said the main reason they are hiding some money is because they don’t want to be dependent on their partner.

Almost a third (29 per cent) said they do so to buy gifts for their other half, while more than a fifth (22 per cent) said they don’t trust that their partners make good financial decisions. Another one in six (16 per cent) said they just want to protect themselves financially in case the relationship fails in the future.

Aside from hiding savings and personal loans, couples also don’t tell their partner about their real salary and extra earnings. About 13 per cent have never told their partner what they earn while 10 per cent said their partner has a false impression of their earnings.

About 38 per cent of those who avoid full disclosure said their basic income is higher than their partner thinks it is, while a third (31 per cent) have received at least one bonus that their partner has no knowledge of.