Silversurfers Barometer Survey shows Silversurfers married for love
In our latest Silversurfers Barometer Survey we were delighted to find that the majority (two thirds) of our community are happily married and that a third of you have been married for over 41 years. What a great achievement!
A warm thank you to all 2,261 of you who took part in this survey. We value your time and the insights you give us into your thoughts and views. Every vote helps us to improve Silversurfers.com and make it more relevant to you.
Top 10 secrets for a happy marriage revealed
So what did you tell us about relationships?
You told us your top ten secrets for a happy marriage:
1. Support in tough times 79%
2. Lots of laughs and fun together 68%
3. Total honesty & trust 64%
4. Being able to confide in each other 56%
5. Being in love 47%
6. Having your own and different interests 41%
7. Make sure you have lots of variety in life 30%
8. Shared interests 28%
9. Great sex 19%
10. Not spending too much time together 10%
Your responses told us that you are committed people, almost 80% of you said the most important factor in staying together is supporting each other through the tough times. And honesty and trust prove to be the bedrock of a successful partnership (64%). We know how much you enjoy some fun, so we were not surprised to find that 68% of you said that lots of laughs and fun together are the second secret to a happy marriage.
How wonderful to see that being in love is the fifth secret and that your still keeping the flame alive with great sex (1 in 4 of you).
Your also fiercely independent with 10% of you saying that not spending too much time together and 41% saying having their own interests different from their partner keeps life interesting.
Of course there are always failed marriages and a third of you said you/your partner had met someone else, while 11% admit to being incompatible from the start.
We were pleased to learn that most of you had made the right choice first time with 70% of you married once with just under 1 in 4 proving second time is lucky.
And what about online dating? Are “Silverdaters” finding love on line?
The answer is yes! 56% of you who have put a toe in the water of online dating have met your partner online. So maybe more of you should have a go, as only 12% have looked for Cupid arrow in cyberspace. But make sure you are honest in your online profiles because you will be found out if you’re not, a third of you who had tried online date found that profiles were misleading.
So what can we say to the younger generation?
It’s wonderful to see that the institution of marriage is strong and enduring and that most of you have long and happy marriages. They would do well to take note of your top 10 secrets to a happy marriage.


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We were never really 'touchy feely type of people' or 'lovey dovey, So what made us stay together? I think can be explained by one word, Understanding, We tried to understand where the other was coming from. We each had our own interests, mine being my local football team and hers being the church and generally helping people which she did until the end. Not to say she didn't come to some games with me and I went to church with her. Neither of us were party people and never went out just to please ourselves we didn't drink excessively because of alcoholic, although it wasn't called that back then, parents. Even through the bad periods neither ever raised a finger against the other only raised voices.
I'm sorry I'm ambling away and could keep on all day but I do miss her more than I can say. She was always here but now shes not and it's hard.
We were given a piece of advice before we married and it stuck. "Never go to bed angry' and we never did even through the bad times when we weren't speaking we were not angry.
This coupled with understanding is my secret to a long marriage.