London, Nov 25 : Rich men who have extramarital lovers cut back on presents and payments to their mistresses during recession, according to a new survey.

However, a majority of wealthy women who are having affairs intend to boost their kept men''s allowances.

According to research, which sheds light on the different ways the genders deal with financial stress, more than three-quarters of the adulterous multi-millionaire men surveyed said they planned to spend less money on gifts and treats for their lovers, and 82 per cent planned to cut their regular payments.

The survey was conducted by wealth-research firm Prince & Associates, which polled 191 married people worth at least 13 million pounds, who admitted to having long-term lovers.

Affairs that have lasted several years will be most vulnerable during the impending recession, with wealthy people of both sexes more likely to support lovers they have taken within the last one to three years.

"Rich people are getting hit, and they''re all expressing the need to curtail unnecessary spending. Lovers are part of the same calculation," the Telegraph quoted Russ Alan Prince, president of the wealth-research firm Prince & Associates, as telling the Wall Street Journal.

"What we found in talking to the respondents is that the magic of the relationship with their lover fades after a while, so they''re more willing to let them go," he added.

The survey, however, suggests that women actually put more importance on their extramarital relationships as the economy declines and their working lives become more difficult. (ANI)