Being the “breadwinner”
Hey em, Michael, chela, Ben & zeke! I need some input I’m so conflicted and don’t know if I’m being logical or selfish?! Backstory, my partner & I have been together for 4 years this year. I have been in the community services industry for 5 years now after a big job change from being a chef for 12 years prior. Be My partner has has never studied or up skilled and spent most his life doing odd jobs, handyman work & labouring (nothing wrong with that!). Unfortunately this has left us with quite a substantial gap in our incomes as he is currently working retail and paying child support his his two kids. 2 years ago he also discovered credit cards, phone plans, payday loans & but now pay later programs getting in some crazy debt & having to enter into a debt agreement. I have no kids (other than my fur baby) and bring in over double his income. I also have multitudes of debt but am just managing. The only household contribution he makes is his half of the rent ($300pw) otherwise I pay for groceries , electricity, water, my part of the rent, gas along with my outgoing bills (phone, car etc). I guess the question in all this is what is everybody’s thoughts on sharing the financial load? I used to be a firm believer in 50/50 but as this relationship has unfolded I don’t want to sacrifice how I want to live when I studied & worked hard to get where I am now with the income I have, but I’m also struggling and feeling this huge financial expectation on me from my partner because of my high income.