{"id":417665,"date":"2026-05-08T08:17:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T08:17:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/417665\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T08:17:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T08:17:37","slug":"what-tradwives-should-know-about-family-finances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/417665\/","title":{"rendered":"What Tradwives Should Know About Family Finances"},"content":{"rendered":"

Search the term \u201ctradwife\u201d on TikTok and you\u2019ll find thousands of carefully curated videos from creators like 26-year-old Estee Williams<\/a> from Richmond, Virginia, and Hannah Neeleman, also known as Ballerina Farm<\/a>, who has amassed 7 million followers sharing cooking and homemaking videos from her Utah farmhouse. The videos feature a soft life aesthetic: modern women clad in \u201950s housewife aprons, baking bread and arranging flowers in full makeup and perfectly styled hair. <\/p>\n

The content is appealing. Williams\u2019 TikTok has 1.3 million likes across her videos touting the benefits of relying on a partner to take care of you. In that regard, I was also a tradwife throughout my 12-year marriage. <\/p>\n

The Tradwife Life Is A Slippery Slope<\/p>\n

Throughout my first marriage \u2014 in our early 20s \u2014 my husband and I muddled through, three young children in tow, making the best life we could. We eventually divorced, I became a single mom, and a bit more muddling ensued. I was always one step behind, stressed out, overworked and underemployed.<\/p>\n

When I became pregnant with my youngest \u2014 with older kids in public school \u2014 my \u201cadvanced maternal age\u201d and medical history made the pregnancy high risk. We agreed that I should quit my job. So I did, and immediately began nesting. <\/p>\n

I began creating the white picket fence life I thought I wanted. We even started homeschooling. If I was going to be home all day anyway, why not? I became a master of pinning craft ideas on Pinterest, meal planning and decorating my home. <\/p>\n

In 2019, I started working from home here and there, taking on ghostwriting and freelance work, but none of that money truly contributed to the household. I let my husband take care of everything related to running the home. He\u2019s a CPA and financial adviser by trade, so why would I \u201cworry my pretty little head\u201d about any of that? Had I asked, he likely would have shared the details. Neither of us gave it much thought, though, and it worked well for a while. <\/p>\n

A Crash Course In Adulting<\/p>\n

After our divorce hearing, I walked out of the local courthouse a homeowner, having been awarded the family home, but blissfully unaware of the ramifications. <\/p>\n

\"TheThe author on a trip to the Grand Canyon.<\/p>\n

I was suddenly solely responsible for the home maintenance, utilities, property tax and homeowners insurance. I received a crash course on adulting. I was even hit with an HOA violation letter because my home needed a good pressure washing. Of course it did; my husband hadn\u2019t lived there for nearly a year. A patch of lichen had taken up permanent residence on my mailbox. <\/p>\n

HOA and amenities fees were immediately due. The sprinklers needed to be programmed; with that, of course, a water bill increase. I would need to schedule and pay the lawn guy (that mulch wasn\u2019t going to spread itself). I also quickly realized I\u2019d better start budgeting some sinking funds for the property tax due after the holidays. <\/p>\n

My ex-husband and I just fell into traditional gender roles; it was easier than putting in the work. When he moved out, he struggled with working his air fryer, ordering delivery on his phone and navigating the grocery store. I hadn\u2019t necessarily dug my head in the sand over the years, but I sure hadn\u2019t been as proactive as I could have. <\/p>\n

The Importance Of Taking An Active Role In Finances<\/p>\n

Shari Rash is the founder and financial advisor at GWA Wealth<\/a>. \u201cI speak with women all the time, when out socially or at moms groups, that once they hear what I do for a living I get the response, \u2018Oh, my husband handles all of that,\u2019\u201d she told HuffPost. <\/p>\n

Rash said that it\u2019s often a significant event that prompts a person to act or become actively involved in managing their finances. Typically, this event tends to be something negative \u2014 perhaps the loss of a parent, unemployment, divorce, the death of a spouse, or even witnessing one of those events happen to someone close. <\/p>\n

According to a report by Bank of America<\/a>, 94% of women believe that they will be personally responsible for their finances at some point during their lives, yet they are less involved in long-term financial decisions than their partners. Nearly half of the 3,500 women surveyed said they feel confident about their finances, but only 28% feel empowered to take action on them, the report says. <\/p>\n

Rash encourages women to take an active role in household finances, whether they work outside the home or not. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re tracking the stock market daily and day trading your accounts. It means you know what your household has and you\u2019re included in the conversation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Money Mindset Begins In Childhood<\/p>\n

A parent\u2019s hands-off approach to family finances has a larger effect within a family unit. <\/p>\n

\u201cKids are like little sponges, absorbing every detail of our behavior, especially when it comes to relationships and finances,\u201d certified public accountant Maya Corbic<\/a> said. \u201dThey\u2019re shaping their money mindset as they observe how we interact with money and each other. Everything they see, hear and feel becomes their perception of \u2018normal.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n

Corbic\u2019s goal is to teach every child how to become a financially independent adult. \u201cMany moms who attend my parent workshops share stories of how their upbringing influenced their views on finances,\u201d she said. \u201cFor instance, some grew up in households where fathers solely made financial decisions, leading to the belief that only men handle investments. This perpetuates the notion that women shouldn\u2019t be involved in financial matters and must rely on men for financial security.\u201d <\/p>\n

Corbic advises parents to be aware of the messages they\u2019re sending children and that they \u201cconsciously model healthy financial behaviors and empower them to develop a balanced and informed relationship with money.\u201d <\/p>\n

One way to do this is by dedicating time each month to review the household budget, discuss spending habits and prioritize savings.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegular \u2018money dates\u2019 serve as a cornerstone for financial harmony,\u201d Corbic told HuffPost, adding that they promote transparency within the family and emphasize the importance of intentional discussions about family finances. <\/p>\n

Baby Steps To Household Finance Awareness<\/p>\n

Rash urges those who depend financially on their partner to immediately dig in and do the work. But this doesn\u2019t just apply to those falling into traditional gender roles in their relationships; all adults who are sharing their lives with a partner can benefit from becoming more financially aware. Important topics to discuss with your partner include: <\/p>\n

Your individual or joint debtMoney available in savings or investmentsMortgage balance and equity in homeTotal monthly household expensesAvailability of emergency funds <\/p>\n

For couples using the services of a financial adviser, Rash suggests you begin by asking yourself the following questions: <\/p>\n

If you became the sole financial decision-maker of your household overnight, do you know who your financial point of contact is?If you have a contact, do you feel comfortable talking to them? Do you know what accounts your spouse or partner has? What company issues your life insurance policies? <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re unable to answer those questions, that likely means you need to take some steps to get involved for your own protection,\u201d Rash said.<\/p>\n

While I still have a long way to go, with each new experience, I gain the financial confidence and self-esteem that I lacked while living the tradwife lifestyle. I have an upcoming appointment with a CPA, opened an investment account, began paying more attention to my retirement accounts, and most importantly, I\u2019m gaining skills, knowledge and wisdom that I can share with my children so that they can protect their financial futures. <\/p>\n

The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.<\/p>\n