Your finances impact everything, including your health and definitely your love life. To have a significant other, you need to spend money on a date and even more money during the relationship. If you’re looking for a spouse, finances are likely to come up during the first date so you can screen the potential partner to determine if you two are on the same page.
Since most women want a man who earns more money than them, gentlemen, you have to improve your finances to find a great woman. The amount of money you make, usually, dictates the kind of partner you can have. That’s the cold, hard truth. It doesn’t mean that all women are gold diggers, but they are entitled to expect their husbands to finance the entire family if they choose not to work.
Of course, in exchange for the husband’s money, the man will have expectations in return. What that is varies from one man to the next.
Let’s look at some statistics to see the effect money has on relationships and marriage.
Average salary in the US
In 2022, the median male salary was $52,000. For women, it was just under $40,000. By comparing these numbers and accepting that most women want a man who earns more than them, we should not have a marriage crisis. Yet, we do.
Marriage rates are declining globally. One of the biggest reasons is that many women want a man who is making six figures a year or more. But the problem is that only 17% of all men in the US make $100,000 or more. That percent includes married, homosexual and emotionally unavailable men. If you’re looking for a man from that 17% who is straight, single and available, that number decreases significantly.
Just think about how rare that man is. And even if a woman finds a man such as that, it doesn’t mean that he will be interested in her.
I think it’s safe to say that we have a serious dating problem because of finances, especially because more women have begun to outearn some men, making their pool of potential partners even smaller.
The solution
There are two options: women can choose to be with a man who earns more than them but less than $100,000 a year, or men will need to earn more so they can, at least, reach the six-figure per year threshold. It doesn’t seem like most women are relaxing their criteria to be with a six-figure man. That means men will have to earn more if they want to find a high-quality woman.
As men begin to earn more, their options in women increase. Going from a $50,000 annual income to doubling it means that man will be able to choose women who previously weren’t interested in him.
Limitations
As a man, not having money limits the kind of life you can provide for a woman. And for women, not having money means that they may not be able to get their hair done, buy attractive clothing or travel to another city or country if they are unsatisfied with the potential partners where they live.
Men who have money are attractive to most women. It’s not just that these men can buy women certain possessions, but their financial situation indicates that they are ambitious and have sorted out their lives. Which woman doesn’t want to be with such a man?
Finances in a relationship
If you’ve sorted out your finances and you don’t cheat on your partner, what problems can you have in your relationship? Well, I suppose something always crops up, but you minimise the chances of a breakup if you have those two aspects under control.
Finances, or lack thereof, are one of the biggest causes of divorce. When you and your partner are struggling financially, you’re limited to a specific lifestyle. You might not be able to travel, go to the movies or even cover your rent. The situation can exacerbate when you begin to blame each other for spending money. Couple that with other problems that most relationships endure, and you’ve got a potential breakup/divorce in the making.
Everything is easier when you have money. The more money you have, the less likely you are to fight about it with your partner. Sure, even rich people fight with their spouses about spending habits. But, at least, they have money to fight about. Broke couples fight because of a lack of money.
Children
If you and your partner are considering having children, your finances need to be up to scratch. Children are expensive. In fact, children can be more expensive than adults. So, you need a significant amount of money to pay for their clothing, school, leisure, entertainment and everything else that is required to provide the best possible life for them.
Bills easily pile up when children are involved. When you welcome a child into your life, you need to have a significant savings account and preferably no debt. The fewer payments you have, the better life you will be able to afford for your family.
Ideally, you should have $100,000 in savings before your child is born. I know, that’s a lot of money. Most people don’t have that much. The reason I mention that amount is because your child may require a special needs lifestyle or surgery. It can happen to any couple, and the last thing you want is not to have sufficient funds in such a case. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s a tragic situation.
Final Thoughts
Be upfront with your partner about your finances. Discuss it with them in the beginning so that they know where they stand and your expectations. It’s never a good idea to deceive your partner about your finances. That’s just asking for trouble, which inevitably avails itself in a puddle of lies.
To optimise the chances of a relationship working, you and your partner need to be on the same financial page. Decide who the financially responsible person is, and that’s who should manage the finances. You can work together on your budget if both of you are financially apt.
Your partner should share his/her financial knowledge with you if they are better at money management. Learn from them and don’t let your ego block your development.
Once you feel that you are a good money manager, pass your knowledge on to your children. The younger they are when they learn about financial responsibility, the better.
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