Is it more expensive being a woman or a man?

[pearlieq]

Not true. At the same price, quality differs dramatically.

That really hasn't been my experience.

[Broken Arrow]

I used to think very ill of "gold diggers" (which to me was ANY woman who would be as much as curious about how much money a prospective husband earns; I did not know exactly know much mine was making when I decided to marry him. His material situation looked OK to me from a distance, I just wanted to know how well-read and cultured he was ).

Now, after 10 years in a capitalist jungle, I think a little differently.

Haha, I used to be like that too; very idealistic in that I used to have a disdain for anyone who emphasizes cash over character.

However, after having been through a marriage, I don't blame any woman who sizes up a man through his finances. I still disapprove of gold-diggers, and I still believe in character, but financial security is far too important for anyone to ignore....

[CouponAddict]

Basic grooming costs are the same as well. Regular soap, shampoo, and Q-Tips are genderless. A simple haircut costs the same for either gender (at least at the place I go)

Where are you going?? I want to know, so I can go there, got to love a deal!!

Every haircutting place in my town has a childs, mens, and a higher woman's price.

[momof1in150]

My general opinion is that it costs more to be a woman, but ONLY due to biology.

In every other sense, I would say that each is as expensive as you make it.

I think basic clothing costs are about the same for men and women. A pair of pants, shirt, socks, shoes, and undergarments costs pretty much the same for a man and a woman. I guess a bra costs more than an undershirt, but to me the difference is negligible in the grand scheme of things.

Then how come a 6-pack of Hanes for my DH cost $6 and one pair of underwear can cost me more then $6. Women's clothes are much more expensive and most of the time not as good of a quality. Men can get away with fewer clothes then women when working.

My DH does spend money on shoes but he only needs 2 pairs for work. He can wear them year round and most of the time they can be resoled and he gets a lot of years out of them. His average shoe cost is about $100 per pair. I have at least 8 pairs of shoes and they all are worn at different times of the year and they average $60-80 a pair.

DH's haircut costs $8.00 - mine cost $45. He does get his cut every 4 weeks but I get mine done every 8 weeks so mine is much more expensive.

The list could go on and on.

[Gruntina]

BS.
Games and hobbies are not necessities. Clothes, toiletries and looking socially acceptable according to gender roles border on absolute necessities.

Sure, I COULD conceivably turn butch and only need what men need on the clothing/personal grooming front. Somehow this is less of an option for me than it would be for my husband to give up expensive toys.

Sorry I did not realize this was limited to necessities. However jewelry, excessive clothing’s, fancy make-up and perfumes are not necessities. It if we’re there is cheap make-up and Jewelry does not make or break it.

Women are more willing to spend on clothes, jewelry, house interior decoration and stuff as it is more appealing for them. If they had a choice between sports, computer games and etc vs. nicer clothing’s, jewelry.. In most case women would choose the latter.

If you look in today's modern market, men dress snappier now; there is even a make-up line for men. I live in San Francisco and men are generally into fashion due to the heavy social advertisement here. Also in today's age a lot of women are having higher salary jobs where men feel the need to impress to get a date with one of these ladies. But I guess it depends on where you live and the type of job industry for men. Where I live , work is mostly corporations, engineers, newscaster, public relation jobs.

[CouponAddict]

Sorry I did not realize this was limited to necessities.

I did not take the thread that way either. Oops

[syracusa]

Haha, I used to be like that too; very idealistic in that I used to have a disdain for anyone who emphasizes cash over character.

However, after having been through a marriage, I don't blame any woman who sizes up a man through his finances. I still disapprove of gold-diggers, and I still believe in character, but financial security is far too important for anyone to ignore....

Yes. Character would be a hard one to give up in exchange of financial security or even more so, financial "oomph". (Security is one thing, "oomph" s another).

But that part about being well-read, cultured, well-spoken, smooth, artsy, etc...all those socialistic European values ...I am probably less swayed by those today than I was at the time. Against my will, of course.

We are doing OK financially (or so we think...?) - but I would not mind my DH making a bit more than what he currently does so we will be less paranoid about every penny / the future.

[markusk]

Women also pay more in certain intangibles....

For example, a single man or a woman just starting a career in a new city looking for a place to live. A man may choose to save some money and live in a less desirable neighborhood. For safety reasons, a single woman may not have that option -- for good reason. She may choose a better neighborhood, an apartment with a doorman ect. Women in general will thus pay more in rent. If I had a sister and a brother in a similar situation, I would insist that my sister live in a very secure building (and help may for it if necessary).

[Gruntina]

Then how come a 6-pack of Hanes for my DH cost $6 and one pair of underwear can cost me more then $6. Women's clothes are much more expensive and most of the time not as good of a quality. Men can get away with fewer clothes then women when working.

My DH does spend money on shoes but he only needs 2 pairs for work. He can wear them year round and most of the time they can be resoled and he gets a lot of years out of them. His average shoe cost is about $100 per pair. I have at least 8 pairs of shoes and they all are worn at different times of the year and they average $60-80 a pair.

DH's haircut costs $8.00 - mine cost $45. He does get his cut every 4 weeks but I get mine done every 8 weeks so mine is much more expensive.

The list could go on and on.

There is a difference between going basis with necessity needs and splurging. Do women really need the perfumed soap when they can get by with regular dove soap? For several women, cute clothing’s and style is more of a hobby and that should be considered when comparing men vs women.
I am a women and just as happy as my guy to shop for clothes at Target. Underwear’s do not cost 6 dollars for one! You can buy 4 packs for 6 dollars at least. But I do think women have more article of clothing’s need more by needing bras which is something men do not need is where I can see that cost more than men beside medical.
Buying more expensive name brand clothing’s, fancier materials and etc is a luxury outside the basic necessity like we can get at Target or even goodwill might have some good finds.
Cost cutters charge the same for men and women with the basic but if you have a more advance style cut, you would have to pay more for which is a choice and not a necessity.

[Gruntina]

Women also pay more in certain intangibles....

For example, a single man or a woman just starting a career in a new city looking for a place to live. A man may choose to save some money and live in a less desirable neighborhood. For safety reasons, a single woman may not have that option -- for good reason. She may choose a better neighborhood, an apartment with a doorman ect. Women in general will thus pay more in rent. If I had a sister and a brother in a similar situation, I would insist that my sister live in a very secure building (and help may for it if necessary).

That makes sense! I agree. I think it is the same with cars where a women may feel unsafe if having a clunker that can break down in the middle of nowhere. Women in the past used to get ripped of by auto mechanics as well. I am not sure if it is that way anymore. (I married a grease monkey!)

[pearlieq]

Where are you going?? I want to know, so I can go there, got to love a deal!!

Every haircutting place in my town has a childs, mens, and a higher woman's price.

We actually go to this really nice place called Hair Cuttery. There's a franchise in every town by us and we found one with a staff we like. Our has 2 prices--adult and kids. The prices just went up, but I think it's $14 for a shampoo and cut.

If you have one by you, check it out. They're really good.

If I'm making a really drastic change or getting a complicated cut, I'll got to the local salon. But again there, the price is by stylist, not by person. The more experienced stylists charge $65/cut and the new ones charge about $40.

I think it's bollocks to charge men and women different prices for a basic haircut. I won't partonize a salon that does it.

I feel the same way about dry cleaning. If I walk into a shop and they try to charge me more for dry cleaning a woman's shirt than a man's, I walk right back out. I check these things before I shop.

[pearlieq]

Then how come a 6-pack of Hanes for my DH cost $6 and one pair of underwear can cost me more then $6.

Again, it's all it what one chooses to spend. I could spend $300/pair on La Perla, but that's a discretionary choice that has nothing to do with gender. Basic tightie-whities and granny panties cost the same at Wal-mart.

Because I'm kinda bored and I'd rather do this than work or go do laundry , I actually checked out hanes.com. A 6pk of ladies undies were $8 (and they don't ride up!) and some truly hideous men's briefs were $8 for a package of 7. I suppose men do get an extra pair of ugly briefs for their eight bucks, but that's close enough to equal for me.

[Gruntina]

But are the powertools a male thing or a household thing, (I mow the grass more often than my DH)? I said we had to upgrade to the self-propell.

and the Jewelry collection of some woman offsets the tool expense in my mind.

Have you seen men showing off tools to other men? I know my guy does. He has more than he needs because he is fascinated with them. He use household as an excuse to buy them but does he get the chore done? He also has a collection of about 50 flashlights.

I realize my opinion on the power tool might be biased as this is my experience with my hubby and his friends.


But maybe I am the oddball here... I have 4 interchangeable outfits for work and only two work shoes and two exercise shoes. I have 2 rings (my engagement ring and wedding band) and 6 pairs of earrings that I wear. I do have make-up but stopped wearing them for daily use. I won’t go into the details of my undergarments and the like. Maybe that is why I think it’s a luxury for 50 pairs of shoes and etc.
I am quite content with that. I love to not have too many choices and more time to relax in the mornings before heading to work. Unlike my sister, I can run out the door in an instant if something comes up without the worry I don’t have my face painted.

[pearlieq]

Women also pay more in certain intangibles....

For example, a single man or a woman just starting a career in a new city looking for a place to live. A man may choose to save some money and live in a less desirable neighborhood. For safety reasons, a single woman may not have that option -- for good reason. She may choose a better neighborhood, an apartment with a doorman ect. Women in general will thus pay more in rent. If I had a sister and a brother in a similar situation, I would insist that my sister live in a very secure building (and help may for it if necessary).

That's a good point--I agree completely.

[pearlieq]

But maybe I am the oddball here... I have 4 interchangeable outfits for work and only two work shoes and two exercise shoes. I have 2 rings (my engagement ring and wedding band) and 6 pairs of earrings that I wear. I do have make-up but stopped wearing them for daily use. I won’t go into the details of my undergarments and the like. Maybe that is why I think it’s a luxury for 50 pairs of shoes and etc.
I am quite content with that. I love to not have too many choices and more time to relax in the mornings before heading to work. Unlike my sister, I can run out the door in an instant if something comes up without the worry I don’t have my face painted.

I think I'm a lot like you. I have a serviceable wardrobe that is clean and works for most occasions. I don't need a whole lot of fancy clothes or to slavishly follow trends. I have a few pieces that I splurged on, but that's discretionary spending.

I don't wear makeup except for on special occasions (not worth the money or time for me), and I don't have an elaborate hairstyle or lots of jewelry. I don't need 56 separate moisturizers and potions to get ready in the morning. I own 8 pairs of shoes--about the same as DH.

I don't think of myself as "butch", unattractive, or lacking style. I prefer to consider myself simple, clean, natural, and unaffected.

I don't begrudge anyone wanting to be more elaborate with their personal habits or clothing--it can be fun and some people really enjoy it. But you just can't blur the line between needs and wants.