Does a Man's Salary Matter?

[Alan]

You want to impress me?
Do housework.
No woman ever shot a man while he was doing housework.

Will this one do?

 

[ziggy29]

Will this one do?

That kid looks like he's about 16.

 

[NW-Bound]

Does a cougar care?

 

[Alan]

That kid looks like he's about 16.

I've always done the ironing in our marriage, I just happened to pick an early photo - we met when DW was 17 and I was 18 and quickly settled into our long term roles

 

[REWahoo]

Alan, is that your rib injury beneath the fotolia" tattoo on your ribcage?

 

[Alan]

Alan, is that your rib injury beneath the fotolia" tattoo on your ribcage?

I just can't fool you guys - good spot

 

[bbbamI]

That kid looks like he's about 16.

Here I fixed it...now I won't feel like a dirty old woman when I look at him...

 

[yakers]

While I think there is some validity to the proposition that women want a wealthy/powerful man and men pay a lot of attention to women's looks it is the outliers that are most interesting. The not so attractive women who gets a lot of attention and I remember when I lived in London there was this local fellow who always seemed to have a lot of female company. He was not big, good looking (IMHO) and not much money. He did have a nice Jaguar which the local guys decided was the 'factor'. But he lost his license for a while due to a DWI, back to a bicycle and it still didn't make any difference to his female companions.
Also in college in my group one fellow, who did look great and from an old but not wealthy family was the most socially active. I was probably next in that category but I worked at it, really hard, and he never put any effort into his social life. I can remember women pounding on his door to get in.
Statistically money/power & beauty are valid but really folks, thats not the whole story and I would suggest, not the most interesting part of the story.

 

[chris2008]

From a woman:
First of all, I would want a partner who has a great (reliable, trustworthy, caring) personality, good humor and is really interested in me. He should also have reasonable financial habits and be able to pull his weight, do his share in the home etc.
Just having a big salary or family money would never overcome obstacles in these areas.
In my case: DH is in public service on a salary that is non-negotiable but fixed by law (Germany). In the last 15 years I have always had a higher salary than he did. The problems that are often referred to when a man's salary is lower than the wife never existed for us. We both enjoy our joint income a lot and plan to ER 2012.

But men looking for "trophy wifes" should not wonder that these wifes are looking for salary kings.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I think from the perspective of the single girls I know now (heck, I was last single in 1989 when I was 18 years old) is that they are looking for guys who are not bums.

This means they are gainfully employed, preferably in something respectable, can dress and act appropriately in social settings, and have the same general life goals and experiences. That's pretty much the low bar.

 

[audreyh1]

I think it all depends on whether a woman has her own money or not. Of course - the article indicates that some such women are still mentally stuck in an old paradigm, but I can't relate at all.

If a woman has financial security, then she doesn't need seek it from a relationship.

If a woman is already powerful, then she doesn't need to sleep with someone to feel like she has some kind of link to power.

My husband had so many special talents and characteristics, that I snapped him up - and it wasn't about money or power.

Audrey

 

[Bestwifeever]

Study is probably true in that it relates to the general and not the specific. But interesting to look at couples, whether people you know or just random strangers, and think they got married because he's powerful and she's hot. Most couples I know do not fit either of these definitions and never did.

If I were dating today at my age, I wouldn't give a whit about a guy's salary before hopping into bed with him.

 

[NW-Bound]

If I were dating today at my age, I wouldn't give a whit about a guy's salary before hopping into bed with him.

See, it's that "talent" thing again.

 

[Bestwifeever]

See, it's that "talent" thing again.

I might not go with the most talented but the auditions would be fun.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I think this was also referred to as his "benefits package". ahem.

 

[ziggy29]

I think this was also referred to as his "benefits package". ahem.

Forget my etchings in this economy. Wanna see my benefits package?

 

[Stevewc]

You want to impress me?
Do housework.
No woman ever shot a man while he was doing housework.

Khan, your statement reminded me of a joke I heard some years back. I was able to find a written copy, isn't the net great? You will love it if you haven't already heard.
So here it is:

A woman is sitting at a bar enjoying an after work cocktail with her girlfriends when an exceptionally tall, handsome, middle-aged man enters.

He is so striking that the woman can not take her eyes off him. The man notices her overly attentive stares and walks directly toward her.

Before she can offer her apologies for rudely staring he leans over and whispers, “I’ll do anything, absolutely anything that you want me to do for $20… But, on one condition.”

Flabbergasted, the woman asks what the condition is.

The man replies, “You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words.”

The woman considers his proposition for a moment and then removes a $20 bill from her purse, which she presses into the man’s hand along with her address.

She then looks deeply into his eyes, and slowly, and meaningfully says, “Clean my house!”

 

[Alan]

Khan, your statement reminded me of a joke I heard some years back. I was able to find a written copy, isn't the net great? You will love it if you haven't already heard.
So here it is:

A woman is sitting at a bar enjoying an after work cocktail with her girlfriends when an exceptionally tall, handsome, middle-aged man enters.

He is so striking that the woman can not take her eyes off him. The man notices her overly attentive stares and walks directly toward her.

Before she can offer her apologies for rudely staring he leans over and whispers, “I’ll do anything, absolutely anything that you want me to do for $20… But, on one condition.”

Flabbergasted, the woman asks what the condition is.

The man replies, “You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words.”

The woman considers his proposition for a moment and then removes a $20 bill from her purse, which she presses into the man’s hand along with her address.

She then looks deeply into his eyes, and slowly, and meaningfully says, “Clean my house!”

Excellent - not heard it before!!

 

[Nords]

This means they are gainfully employed, preferably in something respectable, can dress and act appropriately in social settings, and have the same general life goals and experiences. That's pretty much the low bar.

Aw, shucks, you had me up until that first condition. I'm not too excited about the second, third, and fourth ones either.

Spouse and I have always been pretty close together in salary, and in the last years of my career hers exceeded mine. The nice thing about my lower salary was that I had slightly more free time than her, and a lot fewer work-related phone calls. But otherwise there's never been much interest in the relative sizes of our... paychecks.

 

[Khan]

Khan, your statement reminded me of a joke I heard some years back. I was able to find a written copy, isn't the net great? You will love it if you haven't already heard.
So here it is:

A woman is sitting at a bar enjoying an after work cocktail with her girlfriends when an exceptionally tall, handsome, middle-aged man enters.

He is so striking that the woman can not take her eyes off him. The man notices her overly attentive stares and walks directly toward her.

Before she can offer her apologies for rudely staring he leans over and whispers, “I’ll do anything, absolutely anything that you want me to do for $20… But, on one condition.”

Flabbergasted, the woman asks what the condition is.

The man replies, “You have to tell me what you want me to do in just three words.”

The woman considers his proposition for a moment and then removes a $20 bill from her purse, which she presses into the man’s hand along with her address.

She then looks deeply into his eyes, and slowly, and meaningfully says, “Clean my house!”

No argument here.

I kept a man for several years (he was unemployed part of that time) because he did housework and yardwork.

Do you know how wonderful it is to come home from work to a clean house and weeded garden and dinner cooking?

 

[ziggy29]

Do you know how wonderful it is to come home from work to a clean house and weeded garden and dinner cooking?

I hope my wife finds out in a few years.

 

[FUEGO]

"Whipping it out" means showing your date your balance sheet and last 2 paystubs.

 

[vicente solano]

My wife says that what hooked her was my funny/amusing natural way of talking about things. She finds me entertaining in a subdued way.
I like her sunny disposition. In fact, I envy her sunny disposition. And her amiability. My oppsite attitude!

 

[FIREd]

But men looking for "trophy wifes" should not wonder that these wifes are looking for salary kings.

Perhaps it's no surprise that we don't find a lot of stereotypical salary king/trophy wife couples around here.

Trophy wives cost (a lot of ) money to maintain and, unless the salary king makes lots of money, it's going to be hard to achieve early retirement. And trophy wives might not appreciate the loss of income and status coming with early retirement, so this little adventure could end in a costly divorce.

 

[Alan]

On the theme of Kings and what women want, I am reminded of the old story about King Arthur, Sir Lancelot and the witch...


Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.

The question?...What do women really want? Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.
He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princesses, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer.

Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer. But the price would be high; the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.
The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.

The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life.

He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur.
He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table. Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus: What a woman really wants, she answered....is to be in charge of her own life.

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared.
And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding.

The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened. The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half.

Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night?
Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch? Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments?

What would YOU do?
What Lancelot chose is below.

BUT....make YOUR choice before you scroll down below.

Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself.
Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.

Now....what is the moral to this story?
.
.
.
The moral is.....
If you don't let a woman have her own way....
Things are going to get ugly