| Well, as an American who is married to a Chinese, the situation is not so simple. Of course, when it comes to major purchases, my wife and I consult and come to a decision. There is no way I would buy something extremely expensive without her input. But, in regard to "have a big say over how the pay cheque is spent " there are differences, depending on where we are living.
When we lived in the US, I took care of all of the bills. A certain amount was set aside for saving, but we had equal access to the checking account. Here in China, I give her the greatest portion of my pay, as she is responsible for taking care of this. I get my own allowance for personal spending. But, in both cases, I am the one who determines where our money is invested in the financial markets. As long as we have the same sort of financial goals and tolerance for risk, I am the one who has the education and knowledge to make these decisions. I tell her, and show her everything (through Microsoft Money) about where almost all of our money is at any time. |
In China, His Pay is Hers to Spend?