Robert often felt that he was invested in the family alone, and that his wife’s financial return was too small. She had a son from her first marriage, whom they raised together, plus three years after their marriage a baby girl was born. Any children require spending, but even with his wife getting out of maternity leave very soon and going to work, her husband didn’t see her money. She pampered the children and herself, but he paid the utility bill; if they went on vacation, he paid for lodging, excursions, and food, too, and his wife only spent on herself and occasionally bought something for the children if her favorite “ask Daddy to do it” did not work out.
Not having thought much about it before, Robert was taken aback when it turned out that all his friends and colleagues did not allow this in their family. Since they both work, and the children are more or less independent, in kindergarten and school, one of the parents does not have to stay home all the time, then the budget should be common.
Robert suggested that his wife give it a try, but she immediately rejected the idea. She liked to pay only for herself, and also to save money for some silly purchases, and then Robert said he wouldn’t pay for anything either, and he wouldn’t buy extra groceries. He had already been doing that for over six years for them, now it was his wife’s turn then. His wife listened to this and thought he was joking, but after a week the refrigerator was completely empty and Robert had no plans to buy anything. He didn’t pay for the Internet either, nor did he pay his foster son’s bill, and then his wife had to keep up with everything herself. When she realized that with this kind of spending there was nothing left of her salary, she came to Robert with a proposal for a joint budget.
Now they each contribute fifty percent of their salaries, and from there the spending on the children all, and on vacation so put aside, and still have personal funds for each to go out with friends or family to make gifts. Hence the conclusion that a common budget is quite capable of making both in a marriage happy and truly equal.
