My husband recently lost his job. He's looking for a new one, and he'll find one eventually, but for several reasons that I won't get into (health issues, child on the way, etc), I don't think he'll have another steady one for a few years. So for now, I'm the sole breadwinner. I am 100% fine with this. I have significant investments from an inheritance and we live quite modestly. His salary was not important to our financial stability.
However, it may be important in an emotional sense. I know this verges into r/relationships territory, but right now I'm looking for financial advice. We have separate bank accounts, as well as a joint credit card that we use for joint expenses (food, utilities, etc). We have split those joint expenses down the middle in the past, but moving forward I will pay for all of them.
I take a small amount from my investments monthly to supplement our income, about 1% a year. I have offered to do the same for him, to pay him a similar amount into his account so he'll have spending money and can contribute to joint expenses. He does not like this idea. He says that he'll put necessary expenses on the joint card, since either way I'm paying for it, but doesn't want to drain further from my investments.
This does not seem sustainable to me. He's very responsible with money so I'm not worried about his spending, but at some point in the future he will need new clothing, entertainment, to buy gifts for family and friends, etc. He is very hardworking and does 90% of the housework already, and I have no problem paying for anything he wants, but I know that he won't put things he doesn't strictly need on the joint card. He'll just go without for as long as possible, and then eventually he'll need to ask me for something, and he'll feel bad. But I understand that it's also awkward for a grown man to be on an allowance from his spouse.
So, how have other couples handled this? How should a couple with only one income set up their finances to prevent drama?
Submitted January 23, 2018 at 08:04AM by NerdWithoutACause http://ift.tt/2DuwATg
