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More Danish couples choose to separate love and money

Christian Wenande
September 20th, 2017


This article is more than 7 years old.

Fewer couples have a shared economy in Denmark

‘Till death do us part’ does not include bank accounts, apparently (photo: Pixabay)

As the Beatles once proclaimed, “Money Can’t Buy Me Love”. Indeed, in Denmark, more and more couples seem to be taking that statement and adopting into their living situations.

In fact, in the past seven years, the number of couples who have a shared economy in Denmark has dropped by 15 percent, according to a new survey conducted by Nordea bank.

“There are more and more people living a paperless existence together today. Fewer are getting married and we know that traditionally, married couples are more often involved in a shared economy,” Louise Skjødsholm, a consultant with the Danish financial supervisory authority, Finanstilsynet, told DR Nyheder.

“The risk of breaking up is quite high, so putting everything in a joint basket can be insecure. People are a little more aware of what they have themselves when they have their own money set aside.”

READ MORE: Alarming number of Danes don’t save for retirement

Sign o’ the times
However, it could be the result of a more nuanced development, according to psychologist and author, Ulla Dyrløv.

She believes that the trajectory could be an indicator of a more individualistic and self-sustainable society.

“This sort of hippie, collective feeling has dwindled considerably. When people are out with their friends it’s practically down to the last 25 øre that is transferred via mobile pay after a meal. There are apps for splitting the bill and a lot of people think of their own needs – and that is reflected in the finances between couples,” Dyrløv told DR Nyheder.


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A survey carried out by Megafon for TV2 has found that 71 percent of parents have handed over children to daycare in spite of them being sick.

Moreover, 21 percent of those surveyed admitted to medicating their kids with paracetamol, such as Panodil, before sending them to school.

The FOLA parents’ organisation is shocked by the findings.

“I think it is absolutely crazy. It simply cannot be that a child goes to school sick and plays with lots of other children. Then we are faced with the fact that they will infect the whole institution,” said FOLA chair Signe Nielsen.

Pill pushers
At the Børnehuset daycare institution in Silkeborg a meeting was called where parents were implored not to bring their sick children to school.

At Børnehuset there are fears that parents prefer to pack their kids off with a pill without informing teachers.

“We occasionally have children who that they have had a pill for breakfast,” said headteacher Susanne Bødker. “You might think that it is a Panodil more than a vitamin pill, if it is a child who has just been sick, for example.”

Parents sick and tired
Parents, when confronted, often cite pressure at work as a reason for not being able to stay at home with their children.

Many declare that they simply cannot take another day off, as they are afraid of being fired.

Allan Randrup Thomsen, a professor of virology at KU, has heavily criticised the parents’ actions, describing the current situation as a “vicious circle”.

“It promotes the spread of viruses, and it adds momentum to a cycle where parents are pressured by high levels of sick-leave. If they then choose to send the children to daycare while they are still recovering, they keep the epidemic going in daycares, and this in turn puts a greater burden on the parents.”