Mine is mine and what's his is ours, till money do us part!

Photo:Courtesy

Money is a touchy subject enough as it is even before you throw in a life partner. Navigating the mechanics of financial management with your spouse can be quite tricky. I bet you know of (or have been in) relationships that didn't quite take off or marriages that landed in divorce because of something as trivial seeming as finances. Till money do us part!

While on the hunt for a few household accessories, I met Winnie, 28, at her store along Ngong Road where she has a business selling interior decor items. I soon found out that she had recently got engaged to her boyfriend of three years, and her sentiments seemed to echo that of several women I'd been speaking to on the matter. "This is Nairobi, and dating needs to be very practical and relevant to this society," said Winnie. "A man needs to take care of his woman, and the notion that what's mine is mine and what's his is ours only serves to simplify things. We might all think that times have changed and women will talk about gender equality, yet go back to a first date scenario at a restaurant and even the most empowered woman would expect the man to pay for the meal. Besides, my fiancee makes much more money than I do so it only makes sense that he takes care of the bills and even gives me an allowance."