Thinking about having an affair? You might want to think again.
Not only will it take an emotional toll, impact your trust, family, friendships and career, it could also cost you a lot financially.
One survey suggests that an average affair lasts 6 months and costs $444 a month. That is $2,664 total.
So, let’s take a real close look at the costs involved from having an affair.
Money
- The secret hotel rooms, cell phones, airline tickets, credit cards, expensive dinners, sparkling jewels, weekend getaways and more can all add up… quickly. Besides those costs, when you do end the affair, you will also probably need a divorce lawyer. According to well-respected and experienced New Port Richey Marital Law Attorney Debora Diaz, the average cost of a divorce can range from between $1500 for an uncontested divorce to over $15,000 for a contested divorce. In addition, there is the higher cost of supporting two families versus a single family unit. Child support if applicable is based on the parties’ income and time-sharing arrangements. Moreover, the court may award some form of alimony to a needy spouse. All of these costs need to be figured into the “true cost of an affair”. For more information visit www.DeboraDiazLaw.com.
Emotional Health
- Affairs start because of an emotional connection with a new person. This usually means there is not much of one with the current partner. Once the affair is over, you will need to rebuild your emotional health including exercise, taking up a hobby, meditating and getting enough sleep.
Trust
- A huge obstacle in this is moving past just talking and actually doing something about it. This involves being patient, open, understanding, reliable and humble.
Family
- Two-thirds of marriages end because of an affair. Even if you do decide to stay together, it could take many years of healing, forgiveness and counseling. How will your children react? Will they think it is alright to keep secrets?
Friendships
- Since you are no longer a couple, they may side with your former spouse.
Career
- A lot of affairs start on the job. If your work suffered, not only could you be fired but your entire career might be over. Once word spreads within your industry of your actions, it could be tough to get another opportunity.
Reputation
- Infidelity is not looked at favorably in our culture. Even if people forgive it, it will probably not be forgotten.
One study found that 57% of cheaters are men.
