HOW FAR SHOULD SHARED FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES GO IN A RELATIONSHIP/MARRIAGE?

Shawn

A relationship is a two-way thing; one person cannot form a relationship, it has to be two people coming together to form that union. However, a man is a man and a woman is a woman—we all see the man as the head of the family, he is the provider and he has the responsibility of making his lady happy, providing and even protecting her to the best of his abilities.

Now, how do we connect a relationship being a union between two people and that the fact that the man ought to be the provider? I still feel that the man should play a huge role in providing but the lady should as well play a role in supporting—like they say, behind every successful man is a woman, right? That means the woman has a role of supporting.

In the case of a relationship, it could get overly boring when the man solely pulls the strings every time—the dates, the gifts and the rest of it—this would take away that element of spark in the relationship if the woman shows no desire in taking a part in those responsibilities.

In marriages as well, this also comes up, as some women also have that mentality that their duty doesn’t also include the financial part. No matter how rich a man is I think he would feel proud to have a lady that can come up with the goods without his intervention—we really are a proud gender and we love to show off with our women a lot, and a woman that can come up with the goods would win our respect, that’s if she doesn’t do it to spite the man.

Respect is highly needed in every relationship, and respect isn’t just given, it’s earned; Jay Z is the man, but he would always give Beyonce that respect because she has earned it.

I would conclude by saying; no man would be happy when his lady becomes the boss in the paying department, but it wouldn’t be absolutely nice when she also cannot do anything. In a scale of hundred percent, I’d give the man 60 to 65 percent responsibility and probably 35 to 40 percent to the woman in the sharing of financial responsibilities.

What do you think?

Wishing everyone a great 2015; from the Elcrema team.