Money can be a source of friction in relationships, even when both partners seem to have similar financial beliefs and habits. So, when one person in the relationship is financially unstable, it can create far-reaching challenges.

Whether you're just getting to know someone, or your long-time love is suddenly acting differently when it comes to money, these are the signs your romantic partner may be financially unstable.

Avoids Talking About Money

Initiating financial conversations can be challenging, especially in the early stages of a relationship. But once you get past that initial awkwardness, you should be able to talk about money openly. If your partner never wants to talk about money or always changes the subject when you bring it up, that could  be a sign they're experiencing financial instability.

Excessive Use of Credit

Careful, deliberate use of credit, such as using a credit card to get cash back and paying off the balance every month, is one thing. Pulling out the plastic for every purchase — large or small — and carrying a balance month-to-month is another thing entirely.

If your partner relies solely on credit cards to pay for everything or has an excessive amount of credit cards, they may be dealing with unmanageable debt.

Addictive Behaviors

Anything on the spectrum of addictive behaviors, like drinking, using drugs, gambling and compulsive shopping, can lead to financial instability. These habits are all expensive to maintain and can lead to people making poor decisions. While the financial instability is secondary to the illness of addiction, the two very often go hand-in-hand and can create money challenges that are hard to overcome.

Lack of Knowledge

Not everyone keeps track of the exact amount of money in their savings account or the day-to-day fluctuations of their credit score and that's OK. What's not OK is having no idea where you stand financially. If your romantic partner is clueless about the state of their finances, that's a sign that they don't stay on top of things and could run into some financial roadblocks they're not expecting (if they haven't already).

Angry, Defensive or Jealous About Money

Financial topics can bring up a range of different feelings depending on each person's unique experiences with money. But if your partner's feelings about money always skew negative — they're angry, defensive, or openly envious of others' perceived success, that could be a sign that their own finances are in distress.