S/O have to or want to work.

amother

Yesterday at 2:57 pm

I love the question do you have to or want to work. Not that dissimilar to the afford to support.

What does it mean to have to?
Obviously I am not talking about someone who’s husband makes /they have a passive income of 5 million dollars a year and she works simply because she wants to-we can all identify that as a choice.
Nor am I talking about the person, who lives very modestly with 6 kids in an 2 bedroom basement rental, and just barely affords her weekly groceries. I think we can all say she needs to work.

I would imagine many people fall in the middle. If one doesn’t work, but still have food to eat, cover tuition (with a discount-we will address if it is fair to ask for one which burdens the community at another juncture) and can cover rent in apartment, but with working, they can buy meat for Shabbos, go to the water park on Chol Hamoed, buy a new dress for YT and hopefully save for a house (maybe eventually and with mazel). Is that choosing to work or not? Does putting money away for wedding and retirement-is that a need or a luxury?

(I will also add sometimes it doesn’t make financial sense to work even if a person wants to get out of their home).

amother

Mocha

Yesterday at 3:02 pm

If I didnt work we couldnt afford basics like our mortgage tuition, food, and other basics. My husband’s salary is not enough to cover all that. Bh with my salary we can also afford luxuries such as vacations nicer clothing/ going out to eat etc.
Eta if my husband could afford to cover our expenses I would probably not work even if it meant living simpler. Or maybe work a side job just to cover a few extras.

amother

Blush

Yesterday at 3:18 pm

I work by choice.
For me this means my income has very little impact on our spending and lifestyle. Dh earns a good salary that puts us firmly in upper-middle class living. It means I can take any job I like, based on enjoyment, not salary, and if it becomes unpleasant for any reason I can walk away from it without hesitation.