Marriage - Your Cost-Benefit Analysis.

[crazy canuck]

I think you have to get into some hugely disproportionate incomes in order for marriage to become a net negative.  I make clearly more than my wife and marriage has been a huge, enormous, financial plus.

The "inflationary pressure" you talk about will only apply to discretionary spending, which tends to be a small portion of overall expenses.

Maybe that is where the disconnect between us lies.  Discretionary spending takes up a large chunk of the CC family annual budget.

[Agelastus]

Do a cost-benefit analysis of what marriage/long term relationship means to you, what would it look like ?


I think this one might strike a cord with one or two of us:

"Marry:
Constant companion
A friend in old age

Not marry:
Less money for books
The terrible loss of time" *






*stolen from a rather famous person.

So, if I get married, I will be in my old age in eight years (on average?)

[Malthus]

Do a cost-benefit analysis of what marriage/long term relationship means to you, what would it look like ?


I think this one might strike a cord with one or two of us:

"Marry:
Constant companion
A friend in old age

Not marry:
Less money for books
The terrible loss of time" *






*stolen from a rather famous person.

So, if I get married, I will be in my old age in eight years (on average?)

No, but it may *seem* like that. 

[Malthus]

But it is true when a person is single as well.

Yes but in that instance you are only paying for your own increase in standard of living.  When married you are paying for that increase for one other person who cannot pay for the increase based on their own income (keeping kids out of it).

Yes, but part of that increase is going to be less as well, because it is shared.

Take the most apropos example: wanting a bigger house. 

The expense of a fancy house is the same whether one person or two live in it. Two people do not require a fancy house twice the size of the fancy house lived in by one person. 

[crazy canuck]

Yes, but part of that increase is going to be less as well, because it is shared.

Take the most apropos example: wanting a bigger house. 

The expense of a fancy house is the same whether one person or two live in it. Two people do not require a fancy house twice the size of the fancy house lived in by one person.

Great example.

If a certain person was single there is no chance in hell that person would be buying that kind of house.....

[Admiral Yi]

Great example.

If a certain person was single there is no chance in hell that person would be buying that kind of house.....

Unless they work in a boiler room and get nigger rich.

[CountDeMoney]

You know, I catch a constant ration of shit at work for being almost 40 and never married, but out of the 6 guys I work with (including my boss), there's 8 ex-wives involved; complete with alimony, child custody issues, monthly support payments, et cetera.

I mean, really now.  And I'm the one that doesn't know what the fuck he's doing?

Hell, I catch shit from the Meris, Brazens and Fahdizes around here, and ain't a single one of those niggers ever had a working marriage, for that matter.  So fuck you guys too.

[Ed Anger]

One of my friends(36) is on his 3rd wife. First one was a cunt, the 2nd was a whore and the 3rd, who knows?

On the 4th wife, I hope he punts. I'm tired of buying gifts for his weddings.

[Barrister]

Great, a topic that can be discussed in any number of terms is ruined by two cannucks arguing about a strickly financial issue.

Captain Buzzkill strikes again!

[Ed Anger]

Great, a topic that can be discussed in any number of terms is ruined by two cannucks arguing about a strickly financial issue.

Captain Buzzkill strikes again!

It isn't a buzzkill on a Mongers thread. The thread is already fucked.

[Monoriu]

An important financial benefit of marriage is insurance.  If one person becomes unemployed, the other can take up the slack.  Same if one person gets hit with a major illness. 

[Monoriu]

What you guys are all missing, even if you accept the myth that two can live as cheaply as one, is that if one of the spouses has a signficantly larger income then the tastes, wants and needs of the other person will increase.

The person with the greater income ends up subsidizing the increased buying habits of the other person who would never have purchased those kinds of things for themselves on their own income.

Marriage creates a kind of inflationary pressure when there is a divergence in income on the spending of the person with the lower income and that inflationary pressure is paid for out of the income of the higher income earner.


I think you guys are all approaching this from the point of view of equal income which stays equal throughout the whole marriage.

The inflationary pressure that you have described is true.  I have a much higher income than my wife and yes she has much more...err...refined tastes than mine 

But this is a pressure that can be managed.  I still haven't bought the coverted i-phone for her despite years of pressure.  We have a financial arrangement whereby we share "common" costs on a 50/50 basis.  So yes she can dine out, but I only get to pay half price for everything.

[Neil]

Not marry:
Less money for books

Fantastically incorrect.  DINKs have more disposable income than anyone.

[merithyn]

You know, I catch a constant ration of shit at work for being almost 40 and never married, but out of the 6 guys I work with (including my boss), there's 8 ex-wives involved; complete with alimony, child custody issues, monthly support payments, et cetera.

I mean, really now.  And I'm the one that doesn't know what the fuck he's doing?

Hell, I catch shit from the Meris, Brazens and Fahdizes around here, and ain't a single one of those niggers ever had a working marriage, for that matter.  So fuck you guys too.

A.) I've never given you shit for not being in a relationship. On behalf of the women of the world, I thank you for it daily.

B.) I have a wonderfully working marriage right now. It's 4.5 years along and stronger now than ever. In fact, it's lasted nearly as far along as my last marriage, and we're both happier now than we've ever been. That's not to say that it will stay that way indefinitely, but I think it's safe to say that we're content with our choice.

C.) To the OP: the Pros of marriage - Companionship; a partner in life's decisions; someone to keep you honest, laughing, and content; emotional security; financial safety for one another (if one loses a job, there's someone to help out until things get better); potential for kids if desired

Cons - Constant compromise; rarely time to oneself (especially if kids in the picture); financial problems if someone overspends with minimal chance at recourse; no variety in the bedroom

From my perspective, the pros far outweigh the cons. But I'm a happily married old woman. Who's surprised?

[Agelastus]

You know, I catch a constant ration of shit at work for being almost 40 and never married, but out of the 6 guys I work with (including my boss), there's 8 ex-wives involved; complete with alimony, child custody issues, monthly support payments, et cetera.

I mean, really now.  And I'm the one that doesn't know what the fuck he's doing?

Hell, I catch shit from the Meris, Brazens and Fahdizes around here, and ain't a single one of those niggers ever had a working marriage, for that matter.  So fuck you guys too.

A.) I've never given you shit for not being in a relationship. On behalf of the women of the world, I thank you for it daily.

.............