In your opinion, is money important in a relationship? Consider the 'transactional' element observed in the relationships between the couples. Do you think there is an upward trend of relationships and marriages valuing money over other qualities? Provide examples for your response.

I do not quite feel that way, but I think money is only one of the attributes in building a strong relationship. Most importantly, there should be love and chemistry between the couple. That is the pre-requisite for a new relationship to start. However, in this mercenary and materialistic world, where man's morals have been significantly debased, the meaning of the word "love" has already been diluted and neglected. Intimacy with a person would be considered a relationship and it is unknown of the agenda of the other party. It may be that he or she is eyeing for your riches when keeping close to you. Such a relationship built upon money, or in other words, a monetary relationship, one full of deceptions and schemingness, has seen an surge in the society as man lived in increasing luxury and abundance. Money and financial muscle has become one of the main considerations for a relationship. Before looking at the aspect of wealth, the original basis of a relationship should really be true love and the intention is to care and sacrifice for each other. Without genuine love, there should not even be a relationship that is meant to last for an eternity. Only then does money comes into the topic. I do agree to some extent that a person's financial abililty is indeed important in a relationship. We cannot deny the role of money in our daily lives. Having a strong source of income does indeed help to maintain a good relationship. It ensures a sense of stability and security for your partner, which is the rightfully and conventionally the responsibility of the male. In this world of ours today,we virtually cannot do without money,as we do really need it to satisfy our basic living needs. Another of the attributes to a relationship would be reliability.A relationship also means that a man should be able to support his wife and his family should there be any and provide them with a comfortable life in order for happiness to exist. Thus, money is indeed required for a relationship to last. A couple would have enjoy total bliss if they lack the financial support as they will face the pressures from this money-minded world. However, if a person is married to another, but only to be covetuous of his or her spouse's riches with false love , then this would be a "transactional" relationship. There is indeed an upward trend of relationships and marriages valuing money over other qualities, and numberless instances could be raised on this. We know of famous celebrity couples, such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, just to name one. There are also women who married rich tycoons, i.e Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho's three wives. Incidences can also date back to olden days, as potrayed in the Shakespearean "Merchant Of Venice" novel in which Bassanio, a broke spendthrift, courted a marriage with the rich heiress of Belmont, Portia, mainly in the hope of laying hands on her vast inheritances to repay his debt. All these evidently highlight the importance of money in the cultivation of some relationships.