Money and Relationships
The meaning of money
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Dear Philippa
I have more money than my partner because of an inheritance from my dad who died a few years ago and my earnings as a writer. We've been together for 20 years, and my earnings were previously low and unpredictable. Now the balance has changed, and it's causing tension between us. I don't mind contributing more than he does, but he finds this hard to accept. I'm not a spendthrift, but I don't want to live my life as if I haven't got more money than I used to have. For example, if I want to buy something for the house, or pay for a service, I want to just be able to do it. But he reacts angrily every time, accusing me of spending money like water. If I leave things for him to mend or do, it takes years for them to be done. How can we get get out of this impasse? Our relationship is otherwise very good, although he's always been someone who finds it difficult to speak about how he's feeling. Can you throw some light on this?
The Answer