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Money that DOESN'T talk

January 14th, 2007 at 12:53 am

Here’s an interesting article in the New York Times Sunday Styles section concerning women’s use of cash to hide purchase from their husbands and partners.

"MEN certainly aren’t above treating themselves. But the difference, psychologists say, is that men are more likely to be open about buying an iPod or a $2,500 case of 2003 Château Pavie for their wine cellar, even if it leads to an argument. “In my experience, when men make money, they assume it is theirs,” Dr. Potash said. “Women, even if they earn their own money, sometimes feel compelled to ask permission to buy things.”

Although I can’t relate to a $2K handbag or a $250 bra, as someone who tracks credit / debit / check purchases to the cent but rounds all cash purchases up to the nearest dollar, I have found myself scraping together change for things like a latte so that I don’t have to record it in Quicken (even though my Quicken records are only seen by myself). Talk about that for abnormal psychology!

2 Responses to “Money that DOESN'T talk”

  1. baselle Says:
    1168850219

    I read the article in the paper format. The article itself was boilerplate - tells me more about the reporter's roledex than anything else. But it was interesting on a number of other levels:

    1. It was in the Sunday Style section, not the business/personal finance section. In my mind, it stacked the deck toward the buy more fashion & spending = independence from your evil, saving husband. Which is weird to me. Shouldn't not spending = independence?
    2. Reminded me of The Millionaire Next Door's 3rd rule - "my spouse is more frugal than I am."
    3. Lead, front page article of the section. It must be January, timed right when a couple would realize the Christmas spending hangover.

  2. LuckyRobin Says:
    1168905099

    It's also entirely possible women are paying in cash to avoid the huge interest hit putting it on a credit card might bring. I don't like the insult to women this article gives in a backhanded way.

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