Making More Money Than Your Partner

Would You Prefer to Make More or Less Than Your Partner?

November 10, 2010

Face it women, it's an uphill battle to close the gender gap. We've made great strides, but men still make more in both male- and female- dominated industries. You work hard for your money, and so does your partner, but do you prefer to make more or less than him? Or does it not matter to you?

Source: Thinkstock

14 Comments

islandchic 2 years 25 weeks

I have been in the situation where I was working and my boyfriend was not and he expressed not feeling like he was "bringing anything to the table" and now its the reverse my contract ended and he has started at a new firm and I finally understand what he means. So by next year it is my fervent wish that we both have jobs at the same time and that we are paid the same or very close to the same.

2 years 27 weeks

I think it's absolutely imperative for women to earn enough to support themselves and their dependents even while in stable relationships or marriages, and I'm frankly shocked that the thought hasn't occurred to more people. I say this because, to be blunt, so few relationships last these days. No matter how one feels about divorce, it is a reality for more than half of us today. Also, in today's economy it is not unusual for your partner to be laid off, or for his business to go belly up. There is even the worst thought; if your spouse or partner might die. I know I sound excessively negative, but I've always lived by the phrase, "Hope for the best but prepare for the worst." It just seems ridiculous to me that so many women never plan for the day when they are suddenly the sole provider for their children, their pets, and maybe even an elderly parent.

n00dledancer 2 years 27 weeks

when i think of qualities i'd like in a partner, salary has never come to mind.

sourcherry 2 years 27 weeks

Ideally we would earn the same. We'll start working in less than a year (hopefully), and since we are in the exact same field, it would be a little hard for the ego to make significantly less than the other... But in the end it doesn't matter, we're a team :)

kimmieb124 2 years 28 weeks

My husband and I make about the same, but it really doesn't matter to me. Although, I would be fine with him making significantly more than me so that I could cut down to parttime.

KeLynns 2 years 28 weeks

More, definitely. I'd rather provide than be provided for.But I don't think I'd want to make boatloads more than him. Being in the same $10-$20k range is good.

KeLynns 2 years 28 weeks

More, definitely. I'd rather provide than be provided for. But I don't think I'd want to make boatloads more than him. Being in the same $10-$20k range is good.

amber512 2 years 28 weeks

It doesn't bother me either way, but I know it is important to my husband to be the "provider." And since he does make considerably more than me (considering I only work six hours a week) I think we're good!

GlowingMoon 2 years 28 weeks

Given my track record, I think probably less. The men that I dated were older, and were in more affluent professions. Many of them held graduate and professional degrees. They were on a whole other pay scale.

bluebellknoll 2 years 28 weeks

It doesn't matter to me. However, it would be awesome to make more than him right now - only because we would really be rolling in the dough. ;)

GirlOverboard 2 years 28 weeks

Anonymous, the focus here is gender gap, so of course for the sake of discussion it's assumed that people in the questioned relationship are opposite sex. As for the assumption that all of us are taken, that's ridiculous - you don't have to be in a relationship to enter the discussion or to answer their question, you just have to be capable of thinking about what your ideal situation would be while in a relationship. You're reading far too much into a very simple question.

Baconlover 2 years 28 weeks

@anon...I don't think SavvySugar is assuming anything. This blog posts numerous times a day and this was just a topic. Calm down.

Deidre 2 years 28 weeks

It totally does not matter as long as we're able to stay on top of our mortgage payments and save enough to send our kids to college.

2 years 28 weeks

Why assume that all female readers have or want partners, and that those partners are male? The language you're using is pretty hetero-normative and stood out as such even to me, a straight gal. And some readers are single, regardless of orientation, and happy that way!

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