Meaning of money and the personal life perspective

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Pahl - pooling of money

• Doesn’t necessarily mean equality

• Important to know who controls pooled money and equality of contributions (equal even if difference in incomes? Mme Scales comment)

Vogler et al - cohabitation and storing of money

• Cohabiting couples less likely to pool money, perhaps wish to maintain independence

• Cohabiting couples more likely than married couples to equally share domestic tasks

Nyman (2003) - meaning of money in relationships

• Money has no fixed meaning and different couples define it in different ways, which can effect the nature of their relationship

Personal life perspective

• Meanings that money has in a relationship cannot be taken for granted

  • E.g. one partner controlling the money in a relationship could be seen as unequal for some and equal for others

Personal life perspective - Smart (2007) - same-sex couples

• Same-sex couples give a different meaning to control of money in a relationship

• Gay men and lesbians attached no importance to who controlled money

  • Happy to leave this to their partners

• Control of money not seen as indicator of equality

• Greater freedom to do what suits them as a couple

  • SS couples don’t enter a relationship with preconceived notions about money (esp. as a source of power), allowing for more flexible financial arrangements

PLP - Weeks et al (2001) - alternative money management system

• Typical pattern: pool household spending money, separate accounts for personal spending

• Reflects value of co-independence - sharing but each partner maintains some independence by retaining control over some of their money

• Similar to cohabiting couples trend (Vogler et al)