It’s about the money, honey!

Do you have an aptitude for money or does your partner do the domestic math? Check out if these situations sound familiar!

Scenario 1 BOTH EARN, BOTH SPEND Namita and husband Sanjeev Kapoor both earn and share their financial responsibilities, though each handles their money independently. There is a lot of financial interchange that happens naturally. “It works out that I pay for groceries, furnishings, and the things I tend to handle more around the house, while he handles things like rent, utilities, and things external to the house. We just slipped into those roles mutually,” says Namita. Counsellor speak: On the positive side, financial burdens and stresses are shared. On the flip side, it's tough to accept a woman's changing role. Understanding, trust and communication strengthen a relationship, while competition, jealousy and fragile egos are a strict no-no.

Scenario 2 YOU EARN, SHE SPENDS Shweta and Raul Lokhande live in Mumbai. He runs his own engineering consultancy, while Shweta is a stay-at-home mom to two kids. She gave up a career in engineering, but has no regrets. He creates a spending account for her. She rarely needs to ask for more, and even manages to save some! Counsellor speak: A man who’s the sole breadwinner has a huge ego, and often doesn’t discuss his true financial position at home. The wife lacks independence and may not understand when the times get tough. The man silently suffers stress and debt. Women lose their individuality, leading to depression. Regular financial discussions and joint financial decisions make the difference.

Scenario 3 BOTH EARN; YOU SPEND, SHE SAVES Ashwin Deo is an investment banker and his wife Padmini Deo works in a BPO. He’s not too happy with her working long hours as he earns enough for both of them. She sees it as her bit of independence and both view her pay as ‘pocket money’. She saves for a rainy day, he pays the bills. Counsellor speak: It’s a good balance. This satisfies the woman’s ego and the man’s need to be a provider. It can backfire if she begins to place her career above the family. On the other hand, in a tough financial situation, the wife may resent at having to take a fun job seriously. As long as the two partners respect and adjust to each’s needs, it’s perfect.

Scenario 4 BOTH EARN, YOU MONEY MANAGE Shweta Menon is a successful ad executive with as many crazy deadlines as husband, Pravin Menon, a surgeon. And yet, Shweta is not comfortable handling her money, and is happy to have Pravin look after expenses and investments. She asks him for expense money though she earns as much as he does. “When I need to feel independent, I do get into the nitty-gritty of it. But I invariably slip back into this comfort zone,” she says. Counsellor speak: Each partner seems to have understood their true financial competency. But more joint decisions on money are required for an independent woman to feel secure. Problems may arise if the wife demands more financial independence from her partner