Buying Time Promotes Relationship Satisfaction

Six studies (N = 2,285) highlight the role played by time-saving purchases—such as housecleaning and meal delivery services—in promoting relationship satisfaction. Study 1a provides initial survey evidence that time-saving purchases protect relationship satisfaction from the negative impact of stress. Study 1b provides a conceptual replication in a six-week longitudinal study, demonstrating that members of couples are less negatively impacted by stress on days when they make time-saving purchases. Next, we assess the role of time-saving purchases in changing how couples spend their time as a key mechanism driving the stress-buffering benefits of these purchases. For couples who do not make time-saving purchases, higher levels of stress are associated with spending less quality time together which in turn undermines relationship satisfaction. In contrast, couples who make time-saving purchases spend more quality time together—even under high levels of stress—thereby facilitating greater relationship satisfaction (Studies 2a and 2b). We offer further support for this mechanism by using experimental methodology to document that using money to buy quality time spent jointly is a necessary condition for time-saving purchases to benefit relationship satisfaction (Studies 3a and 3b). Together, these studies suggest a solution to the inevitable stress faced by couples: spend money to buy quality time, together.