[nospendthrift]

I'm a woman. 45 years old. Single. Never married, but wouldn't mind sharing the expenses. My beef, which has been for quite some time, is those women who are married, not making a whole lot of money if they do work (say under $45,000) and spend, spend, spend. So my advice is, since I have had to make it on a lot less, pay tuition expenses for grad school, borrow student loans to do this, buy my car with my own investments, pay the insurance, rent all these years (wouldn't mind having a mortgage), pay the utilities, pay the insurance on the home, buy the groceries - you get it - pay for everything to maintain my existence and home, I suggest that all those married women making under approximately $45,000/year try to live for one year as if they had to pay for everything - car, home, food, utilities, insurances, maintenance bills, - everything. And, see if you could actually do it. I know too many women who do make around this income, even less, they may work full time, yet they buy hair products in the hundreds of dollars, they have exercise club memberships, they hire a personal trainer for $200 - they spend, spend, spend. Some don't have any ideas what the household bills are - electric, gas, anything. Would those women be able to actually support themselves if they had to live alone? I think not. So, many of these women in this situation, and there are many, should have to live as if they did need to support themselves. I bet they would spend far, far less, and think about their purchases before just running out and buying stuff, stuff, stuff, that they throw away within the year.

If you make say $70,000 or around there, hey, spend all you want, because you probably can afford to support yourself, too. But, I've worked in the financial business for 7 years, and have seen several men walk away from the marriages for this very reason alone, and they had children under 18. They looked at it this way - hey, I love my kids, and I'll support them with all I want and have to do. However, at least this way, I know exactly what I have to pay each month - child support fixed payments, insurance fixed payments, and there is a time limit on that, too. And, the left over women - well, they have to learn to make it on their own. I have seen those women, too. Several years later, they are still bouncing checks, borrowing cash from their employers, not making it - because they now have to pay for their own living expenses and also continue to spend the way they did. Tough, isn't it? I don't feel sorry for them at all.