We decided to investigate further, so we went around interviewing working wives, asking them whether they believe it is their duty to contribute to their family’s expenses.  The responses we got were quite consistent; if a man can provide on his own then it is his duty to be the breadwinner of the family. However, if he can’t handle the finances on his own, a woman will contribute willingly, not because it is her duty but rather to help out and live a better life.

Here are some of the responses our readers shared with us.

“It depends on the man’s income, but it isn’t her duty. If the man’s income doesn’t fulfill all their expenses and she works, then she must contribute but if he can provide on his own then her money is hers,” a 31-year-old mother of two.

“No, I don’t think it’s her duty to contribute to the household’s expenses. It is absolutely a man’s duty, unless the family passes through some difficult situations, in which case she could support, but this is not meant to be the default. Her man is meant to cover [her personal expenses] too, but honestly, this is generally the case with me. But in some cases if I find us spending a lot this month and I need something urgently I get it from my own money but I don’t tell him so I don’t hurt him. But as I said, it isn’t meant to be the default, it should only happen in rare cases, her man should cover her stuff,” a 24-year-old mother of one.

“If the husband is well off enough to provide then no, it isn’t a woman’s duty. A woman should b able to work to develop herself and have career and ambitions without having to pay the price. But if the man needs help then, yeah, sure, she should help with whatever she can. It’s mainly the man’s duty but if a man is doing everything he can and still can’t provide the lifestyle she and the kids need, this is when her duty comes,” a 30-year-old mother of two.

One of the interviewees, however, believed in financial equality for healthier marriages:

“It depends on the agreement between the couple and the roles they both agree to play. I think any model can work as long as the couple is in agreement. In today’s economy it is increasingly unrealistic that one income can cater to the entire family needs. I believe if the marriage is healthy and both are doing their best to accommodate the life they want to live then yes, both should contribute as much as they can. At the end of the day the finances go into a joint life that the couple envisions for their family. If the woman is working and the man is playing an active role with the home and kids then the woman should make gestures of contribution in my opinion,” A 32-year-old mother of one.