More than 1 in 5 women -- or 22% -- say they wouldn't date someone who makes less money than them. That's compared with 4% of men who said they wouldn't date someone who earns less than they do.
Another study found 69% of women said they'd feel uncomfortable paying all the bills compared with 46% of men.
These findings aren't all that surprising. Despite the shrinking gender wage gap and more women rising to high-level executive positions, women still make less money than men for the same jobs -- 83 cents on the dollar.
Thus, it follows that many women prefer having a partner whom they don't have to support.
But women who are this picky may be missing out on great opportunities out in the dating realm. Even if he makes slightly less money, a man may make a great partner.
Other variables should certainly be weighed, like one's intelligence, sense of humor, hobbies and interests, and overall personality.
And who's to say that a man won't earn more in the future following a promotion or other career move? If he's ambitious enough, he can even freelance or start a side business that will provide supplemental income.
On the flip side, there are wealthy men who are utterly vain and put money above all else. Is that really the kind of man a woman should consider spending the rest of her life with?
While I understand requiring that a guy be financially stable (with sufficient savings and little to no debt), putting too much of an emphasis on money can seriously backfire.
It's for this reason that many women have a bad rep for being "gold diggers."
At the end of the day, if you care for or find a guy to be a good catch, does it really matter if he makes, say, 5 thousand dollars less? As long as it isn't causing serious financial strain in the relationship, I see it as a misguided reason not to shortlist him.
You never know. The man might have everything you want except the ideal salary.
Do you agree?
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