In honor of International Women’s Day, I’m going to give you some life-changing financial advice.
A spouse is not a financial plan.
It doesn’t matter how much money your spouse makes, every woman should have a job. Why?
Money is power and it gives you the ability to choose how you want to live and whether you want to stay in your current relationship.
One of the top reasons women stay in abusive relationships is because they don’t have the financial means to leave or support themselves. They feel stuck and have to tolerate abuse, which can be detrimental to their lives and the lives of their children.
Studies show that almost 1/3 of women are financially dependent on their spouse.
For this reason, every woman should make and control her own money. Put your money in a separate bank account which only you can access and control. There is no point in making money if you don’t control it.
And you may be thinking, “not my partner.” Yes, your partner.
The tabloids are littered with women who have relied on their spouses financially, and got screwed. Do Erika Jayne or Ruth Madoff ring a bell?
Relationships can change in a blink of an eye. And if this happens, you want to be able to stand on your own two feet and make the best choices for your life, without the handcuffs of financial dependence.
When you are your own financial plan, you put your partner on notice that you are in the relationship because you want to be, not because you have to be. And when that’s understood, your mate will have a lot less leeway to disrespect you because there is an understanding that you have a choice, and you may not choose your significant other. That is real power.
