Would it bother you if your SO/spouse made more money than you?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsfanGoJC

My question is exactly what I stated, would it bother you if your spouse or SO made more money than you did? Obviously I am kind of aiming this at the male posters on the board. Would it hurt your "ego" if she made more money? Once my fiance gets out of school she will make a lot more money than I do. I don't really have a problem with that but sometimes my pride makes me want to make more money than she will.

I've been with my wife for nearly 15 years. During that time, we've each supported each other financially while the other reaches certain goals or dreams.

For the year, I paid for all of the rent and bills. For nine months after that, she paid for the rent and bills while I pursued my "interest". After that, she took off nearly 18 months pursuing her interests and I paid for everything.

In 1999, she got a job using her degree in mathematics, along with some of her pursuits during her non-working period. I continued to make more money than her until the end of 2001, when she was handed a whopping six-figure bonus the week of Christmas.

From there, I supported her in a start-up business. We went back and forth on the earnings scale until it was evident that her business was going to earn a ton of money for us with very little time involved (maybe four hours a day combined between the two of us). I left Paramount to oversee the remodel of our home (which took the better part of 5 years) and to grow her business.

In 2008, she opened her first Pilates studio in Downtown LA and just bought the franchise rights to Long Beach. We sold off our successful business that was started in 2001 and just last year, I started my own company, which is just beginning to take off.

For us, it's not about "who makes more money", it's about helping and supporting each other's dreams and ambitions. I learned a long, long time ago that if someone isn't happy with their life, they're not going to be happy with me, and vice versa.

So, we do our best to make sure that we're both fulfilled.