It has long been taken for granted that men earn more than the wife or partner and are the greater wage earners in the household. Nonetheless women have made significant strides in this area and it is now common for them to surpass their partners and husbands in the earning stakes.

This reversal can be very difficult for many men to accept as they are expected to be able to provide for their families.
Feelings of doubt and a lack of self confidence may arise especially if he feels that he is holding the family back financially from obtaining the things they want.

Your partner maybe feeling frustrated by the fact that you earn more that him. If so remind him that who earns what should not be the basis for power within the relationship. In all fairness, a man’s sole worth should not be measured by his bank balance alone. It is important as women that we look beyond the tangible things and see the ‘real’ man. Look at his character, his integrity and view of life. Can you see the ‘gold’ in him. Some people cannot see what is within them and it takes a person with perception to draw out the hidden potential.

Don’t make an issue of the fact that you earn more than your partner. If you are married or together then you are a team and any money made is a joint effort. If you earn £50k per year and he earns £20k so what! Be grateful for his £20k contribution as together that equates to £70k which means a better quality of life for both of you.

Don’t make him feel that your work is more important that his simply because you earn more. Some professions like teaching, catering and nursing tend to be lower paid than others and must be taken into consideration if you are with someone who is working in these occupations. Instead show an interest, ask about his work and acknowledge the contributions that he makes towards the home and family.

Men and women behave differently when it comes to money. For a man earning more gives them a feeling of power. For a woman earning more may become something that she may ‘play down’ for fear of embarrassing the partner. All the same women should not be made to feel apologetic or compromise their work aspirations because of how they partner may feel. Emotionally secure men who are sure of themselves and their accomplishments tend not to make an issue of the fact that you earn more and instead would be proud of your achievements.

Talking about money may seem common to some people, but as a couple it is important to be clear as to what your roles are and to be accountable to each other financially, having set reasonable guidelines according to your goals and lifestyles. Whether you care to admit this or not, money is a big part of daily life and resentment around it can easily build up and spill over into other areas if left unchecked. Hence it is perhaps wise to set aside specific times to talk about any financial issues so as to avoid it creeping into everyday conversations. Who is better at handling the money side of things? Who pays for what? Do we need a joint account for household expenses?

What are our financial goals, there may be a shift in the contribution but the goal should remain the same.

You see them everywhere. They arrive in the mail. They arrive by phone. They arrive by email. They are positioned by cash registers and petrol stations. They are credit card offers. It can be exciting to read all the enticing offers included on the applications. Free gifts, prizes, rewards, and discounts abound when it comes to credit card applications but before you stretch out your eager hand to grab that pen to fill in the offer you should take a few minutes to consider four important questions.

Can you handle it?

In case you never read the news or watched television, you should be made aware that credit card debt is a tremendous problem in Singapore today. Credit card debt can destroy your financial future and drastically impact your life. So it is important to ask yourself before signing up whether or not you can handle the temptation and responsibility that comes along with a line of credit. If you are not sure then start out with a very low credit limit to test the waters.

Is this the best offer?

Once you have made the decision to fill in a credit card application you should do your homework before actually taking up an offer. Shop around for the best terms and rates as well as rewards. A great reward package that you will never get to use really isn’t so great while something that might sound pretty small can really add up if you use it. For example, a discount on a car or cruise might be great but if you don’t see either of those major purchases in your future then why not choose a food discount instead. You know you will be using those.

What are your long-term financial plans?

If you plan to apply for a big loan, such as a mortgage or vehicle loan, in the near future then be careful about how many new accounts you open. Too many checks of your credit might be a red flag and sometimes having too much credit open can also be a detriment to your credit rating. Of course, if you don’t have much on your credit report then you should likely take out a credit card and use it a bit just to show that you can handle credit.

Is your credit good enough?

Some high-level credit cards will only accept new customers with very high credit scores. Some reward or low-interest cards are also only available to a select group with good credit. Make sure your credit is good enough for the credit card offer you want to take and that your credit won’t suffer due to one more credit check.

Credit cards can be a great tool, but just like any tool they need to be used wisely and can be used to do harm as well as good.

Protect your financial future by asking these four important questions before filling out the credit card application.