When the wage gap between me and my husband grew, I quit my job to work part-time. I realized my non-monetary contributions have value, too.

Sun, 09/01/2024 - 06:18

Amanda Garland and her husband standing outside and smiling, both are wearing sunglasses. — Amanda Garland started to feel insecure about what she was bringing to her marriage when her husband accepted a job with a significant pay increase.
Courtesy of Amanda Garland

When my husband and I met, the difference in our income was about 30%.
As our pay gap grew, I started doubting my self-worth.
Accepting the value of my non-financial contributions strengthened our relationship.

When my husband accepted his new job offer in 2021, I was proud of him. He'd been courting the opportunity for over a year and was finally escaping a job he felt crushed by. I was relieved and excited to get my happy husband back. Plus, the money would help cover the expenses of our growing family.