Why is it important for a woman to be financially independent? 11 Benefits of Working Women

I grew up in the 90s where women being homemakers was the norm. My mother, my neighbours’ mothers, my classmates’ moms, all (or most) of them would involve solely taking care of their children, cooking, and cleaning stuff. Most of them didn’t even know how to drive a car, except my mom who learned eventually (and very early!) due to circumstances. She was actually quite popular in my colony due to her driving skills. Some people even believed that she earned, though she didn’t.

Back then the women were expected to earn only if their husbands weren’t earning enough to support the entire family. Else they had to be the primary nurturers. In fact, many potential grooms would look for “housewives”, “someone who takes care of his family/parents”. No wonder why most children felt comfortable talking to their mothers instead of fathers regarding most matters at any given age since their dads were not even present.

Having such kind of gender roles did have a negative impact. Countless men used to be controlling and downright abusive to their spouses. The term “abuse” does not necessarily have to have physical assault or violence. It could include passive-aggressiveness, excessive alcohol consumption, neglectful behaviour towards the spouse and/or children, and so on. Almost every alternate house in the corner had this scenario. I have passed over three decades of my life and haven’t witnessed a single case where the wife drinks and the family suffers; it’s always the other way around. It’s certainly not a competition, nevertheless, I urge you to understand the entitlement most cisgender straight men held (and still hold) because of their upbringing in typical patriarchal households.

I have passed over three decades of my life and haven’t witnessed a single case where the wife drinks and the family suffers; it’s always the other way around.

What’s more into it – wives gradually start believing their fate and that is what they are supposed to do. They no longer have self-confidence and voice when matters go out of hand. Their tormented self-esteem does not allow them to leave that broken marriage and they keep letting their husband suck their very soul. It is important for a woman to be financially independent. Period. There are many other benefits as well that I would like to share if running from marriage isn’t on the cards.

11 Benefits of Working Women

1. Additional finances: If men are the only breadwinners, they obviously have this stress to keep up with their family’s financial needs. If their wives also earn, this burden is lifted off their shoulders a bit. Women can also pamper themselves at times to go shopping or salons without asking for extra money from their husbands. Additionally, both spouses can decide what bills and payments they agree to divide. For instance, if the husband pays electricity/water/TV bills and children’s school fees, the wife can take care of the maintenance charges, insurance, house rent, and medical bills.

2. More savings: Savings are crucial if one enters into the institution of marriage. There are many methods to save if the wife also earns depending on someone’s personal preference. Some can have two separate accounts of their own AND another bank account that’s owned jointly so that they can add some amount every month. They may also have some plans in place like mutual funds, virtual gold, bitcoin, and so on. The point is, women who earn can be of great contribution for future whether for (a) child(ren) or a start-up.

3. To assist unfortunate circumstances: The Covid-19 situation has made very clear that BOTH spouses need to earn. The pandemic had caused several countries to be in a lockdown state and many jobs were lost causing a huge economic compromise. The likelihood of both husband and wife losing a job is less compared to a situation when only one partner earns. Certainly, this has to be one of the important benefits of working women. Do you still doubt why is it important for a woman to be financially independent?

Now let’s discuss some other benefits of working women apart from the money that women can get as takeaways.

4. Socialising: Don’t you get bored if you take a long break and just stay at home the entire day? Doing household chores will still not occupy your mind as it tends to wander. You may find yourself minding other people’s businesses. Socialising legitimately helps to keep your sanity in check else you’ll end up losing your sh*t. Speaking this from my personal experience that even a little interaction with a small group of people helps in mentally charging yourself.

One might also argue that they can be friends with people who live in their neighbourhood or through kitty or tea parties, but the one I have mentioned is a different kind of socialisation. This is because they are your colleagues so you will meet them often. You will not meet those ladies in kitty parties that frequently due to busy schedules at home. The topics of discussion will also be different unless you love gossiping exceptionally too much.

5. Making good connections: I personally believe that making professional connections is only possible if you go to an office. These connections will also be helpful if you are looking for another job opening and someone you know has some kind of lead in that regard. If one of your colleagues knows how well you perform professionally, they can refer you in the future even in case of career breaks. In other cases, these people can also turn out to be your best candidates to work with, in another company, or as your potential clients if you own a business. Absolutely no other friend of yours could be of that help. This is one of the classic benefits of working women.

6. Self-confidence and self-esteem: Most women I know who are financially stable have a great sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. There may be exceptions but it holds true for majority. The reason is, anybody who gets regular income knows that they will be able to deal with all kinds of situations.

7. Be a role model for children: Many children consider their parents as mentors. If they grew up watching you go to the workplace, they will also want to be the one who earns and will look to marry only those who earn. I have seen most men consider working women in the marriage market if their moms also used to go for official duties. This is important for their children as well. Whatever we learn in our life, we subconsciously pass that tradition to the younger generation. If you don’t have a child due to circumstances or by choice, there will be nieces and nephews who could be influenced by you. So, be their mentor!

8. Inspire other women: I am assuming that you live in a world where women in your surroundings still have to work hard to prove a point. If you have a secured job, you can inspire other women who didn’t get enough opportunities as you but want to be like you. They may manage to at least make a good start even if that requires baby steps.

I cannot express that in words how I truly feel proud of another woman if she achieves something in her life, gets promoted, and receives a good hike, especially if she says that I motivated her. I have always been a strong advocate of women supporting other women instead of putting each other down.

Though I notice some women emphasize being stay-at-home and argue why working women are “selfish”. Honestly, I pity those who hide their insecurities by shaming others. I can see their jealousy shine through their soul. Now, do I look like I am degrading them? Well clearly, if you do not want to be judged if you (or your partner/his family) choose(s) (you) to be a homemaker, why do you judge other women? Shouldn’t it go both ways? Use your intellect, not emotion!

9. Good decision-making: If you are experienced enough at your workplace for quite some years there may have been instances when you required quick decision-making. This is applicable in your personal life as well since your mind becomes habitual of riddles like that. If you are solely into household chores and childcare, you will be deprived of solving life’s complex issues that spontaneously show up. Why would you want to be completely dependent on your husband in instances like this?

10. A better understanding of the world in general: At workplaces, we meet people of different religions, cultural backgrounds, ethnicity, and/or race. In addition to this, they are different individuals with unique characteristics, viewpoints, and ideas. So, if you are dealing with them you are going to have a broader outlook and a better comprehension of people. It helps if a situational thing comes up.

11. You are educated enough to work: Did you earn degrees just for the sake of reputation or getting potential groom in the future? You invested a decent amount of money to get that, didn’t you? What about the return on investment? If you got married too early and don’t have academic degrees I would suggest studying, maybe just a diploma or a certificate, if not a degree.

If you think that you will only need it later if an emergency falls upon you then let me tell you that those who return back to workplaces after taking a break have a hard time to restart. Do you really think you would have the courage to start over from scratch years later? It is difficult.

I emphasise on making money but I don’t mean to do a 9-to-6 job if it is not your thing. You can have a start-up to showcase any product or service, own a boutique, sell handcrafted items via the internet, do a doodle wall art, be a freelance writer or an SEO executive. The list is endless.

Earning is survival! I mean think about your own bank balance that you genuinely got through working and not via inheritance or wedlock. The pride is indescribable. Take small steps at a time. Give yourself enough credit for achieving those little milestones. Forgive if you make mistakes. Learn from those blunders and pledge to not repeat that again.