Investing in your relationships

If you're wondering why your relationships never work out, maybe you need to examine how you handle money. 'Most of us have more experience with risk tolerance in relationships in our society and people typically test the waters at a much earlier age than they ever start investing,' says relationship therapist Joe Rich. He worked with TD Waterhouse to come up with a quiz to help Canadians determine what their relationships say about their investment styles.

'You can often find similarities in the way people invest and the types of relationships they have, both good and bad. Dating the 'bad boy' and taking a flier on a tech stock may offer the same rush, while on the other side, taking someone home to meet mom and putting money in sound blue chip investments is what makes others happy.'

'Good relationships and sound investment strategies are based on the same principles: open lines of communication with your partner or your financial advisor; research, into the individual or the investment opportunity; and above all, acceptance that nothing is guaranteed - in love or finances,' says TD Senior Vice President Patricia Lovett-Reid, 'To some degree, a bit of risk makes life exciting - we have to put ourselves out there to grow as people or grow our investments. If we stay within a narrow comfort zone without ever stepping outside of it we can miss out on great rewards'

Take the quiz to see how well your relationships can predict your investing style:

1. At a wedding, a stranger asks you to dance. You:
a.) Grill them about their relation to the couple; you don't want to look silly dancing with some wedding crasher (1 pt)
b.) Say yes and strike up a friendly conversation (2 pts)
c.) Say yes, keeping in mind that the dance floor will be a good vantage point to scope out other potential partners (3 pts)

2. Within a few hours of meeting someone, they'll know:
a.) Your name (1 pt)
b.) That you're free on Saturday (3 pts)
c.) Your e-mail address and phone number (2 pts)

3. How would you say you meet most of your dates?
a.) You ask your friends to set you up with friends they think would be a good match (2 pts)
b.) You prefer the nightlife scene, and have considered speed dating (3 pts)
c.) Ads for internet dating are the closest you come to a real connection (1 pt)

4. A typical first date for you would be:
a.) Sunday dinner with your family (1 pt)
b.) Does going for pizza after the bar closes count as a date? (3 pts)
c.) Dinner and a movie (2 pts)

5. The cutie in accounting gives you a special smile when you drop off the invoices. You:
a.) Turn and run back to your cubicle (1 pt)
b.) Smile back and ask how their day is going (2 pts)
c.) Write your phone number on their arm (3 pts)

6. A typical question you would ask someone on a first date is:
a.) How did you like the movie? (2 pts)
b.) What was your name again? (3 pts)
c.) Have you ever considered a destination wedding? (1 pt)

7. What is your perfect date?:
a.) Four hours at a coffee shop: You have a lot of questions and really want to get to know someone (1 pt)
b.) Bungee jumping or something original, the 'same old same old' gets boring (3 pts)
c.) Walk in the park considering it both a good place to talk and there is enough distraction that it won't be awkward (2 pts)

8. You miss a call from a number you don't recognize. You:
a.) Call back excitedly - you gave your number out to a couple cuties this weekend (3 pts)
b.) Ignore it (1 pt)
c.) Wait by your phone, hoping they'll call back (2 pts)

If you scored 8 to 11 points:
Wake up! You may besitting on the sidelines of love and money. Whether it is because you've been burned before or because you are afraid of rejection, you aren't taking even the most calculated risks and you're going to miss out. You need to get in the game!

If you scored 12 to 17 points:
Congrats! You may bewell balanced when it comes to love and to finances. You know what you're looking for in a mate and won't settle until you find it - but you realize it may take some patience.

If you scored 18 to 24 points:
Look out! You may be a serial dater and potentially a risky investor. Try nurturing your financial portfolio just like a solid relationship--you can't do this if you are in and out.