- Cheating men will spend up to five times more on their mistresses during the holidays
- Men set to sneak off on New Year’s Eve to cheat
- Diamonds and flowers are the top presents for mistresses
As the holidays approach, new research from the world’s premier online affair service, Ashleymadison.com, reveals there will be little festive cheer for wives, as cheating husbands spoil their mistresses but scrimp on their spouses when it comes to gifts.
The survey, which questioned 2,600 actively-cheating husbands from across the U.S., was commissioned to help Ashleymadison.com gain greater understanding of male infidelity.
It reveals that the average amount men spend on their wives during the holidays is between $51 – $100. However, when it comes to their mistresses, the average is $251 – $500 – up to five times the amount!
The research has also revealed the most popular gifts for a wife and for a mistress, with men 26% more likely to buy their mistress diamonds than their wife, twice as likely to buy their mistress flowers, and almost four times more likely to buy their wives household items!
Top gifts mistress versus wife
| Mistress | Wife | |
| Silver / Gold Jewellery |
48% |
51% |
| Diamond Jewellery |
53% |
27% |
| Clothes |
54% |
48% |
| Technology Items |
27% |
57% |
| Flowers |
38% |
19% |
| Books / Magazines |
9% |
11% |
| Household Items |
8% |
27% |
Sneaky men also opted to pay for their mistresses’ presents in cash (87%) to avoid an incriminating paper trail, despite a brave 5% who still used the joint bank account.
12% of men admitted that they weren’t looking forward to the festive period with their spouse and family, with 59% claiming they would also be seeing their mistress for clandestine romance. The majority would be sneaking out on New Year’s Eve (47%), Boxing Day (24%), Christmas Eve (35%) and 28% on Christmas Day.
“For most cheaters, the holidays are very stressful and full of anxiety, anticipating the time required to spend with their spouse and family without their extramarital outlet,” says Noel Biderman, president and founder of Ashleymadision.com. “We also find, that this prolonged period of time places enormous strain on relationships particularly for those suffering from marital problems and we are never surprised by the enormous increase in our registration after the holidays.”
