With Valentine's Day on Saturday, a new survey shows that more Americans are looking for financial stability in a partner than for romance.The survey, from Ramsey Solutions' Q4 State of Personal Finance, found 63% of respondents said they'd prefer a partner who is financially secure but not very exciting over one who is romantic but bad with money.56% also said they never had a serious conversation about money with their partner before getting married.The numbers come as so many Coloradans continue to worry about finances.Around 75,000 Coloradans lost their health coverage when Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the start of 2026, and hundreds of thousands more saw their premiums skyrocket.Interest rates are higher than many would like.And the latest inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows prices rose 0.3% in December and 2.7% over the last yearthe Bureau's new January numbers will be released on Friday, 2/13.It isnt really wanting to be with someone who has a lot of money, but wanting to be with someone stable and financially secure," said University of Denver psychology research professor Galena Rhoades. "Thats a reflection of values: drive, motivation, but also that need for stability and security, especially in a time when things feel uncertain.Denver7 asked Rhoades if that means values can change over time depending on what's happening nationally. She said "yes.""I think our values are malleable in many ways," Rhoades added. "Maybe not our core values, but how we value different values and prioritize different values, especially with respect to what's going on in our country."She pointed to 2016 as another example. After President Donald Trump was elected in his first term, Rhoades says more people paid attention to a prospective partner's political leanings as a prerequisite."One of the things that we're missing is actually the opportunity to observe someone in real life from a little bit of a distance," Rhoades said. "So, if you meet someone at school, at work, through friends, you often get this opportunity to see them for some time before you fall in love with them, before you go on a first date, and and I think that's missing in dating today, sort of the opportunity to observe someone and learn from how you see them in the real world."Rhoades emphasized that the increase in financial stability doesn't mean people no longer value romanticism."I actually would bet that that doesn't mean that people are valuing romance, love, and connection any less," she said. "I think we're seeing that that is elevated, that people want a partner who's secure and stable, but not that we see a decrease in romance or love as part of that. ...read more read less