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How Valuable is a Wife?

M

maddog2

New Member
How valuable is a wife? Where we might be very slow to assign a price tag, a village in Africa has priced her at 8 cows. The current auction price for a cow is $1500 each. Do the math- In dollars she is $12000 but in earning potential from the hubs it's a bit different. If dude makes $12 per hour then she is worth half his earnings for the YEAR, payable up front. Imagine now if every guy had to ante up half his yearly income when he wanted his beloved to be in his life. It's a bit more than the cheezy "promise-rings" that the young men want to pawn off on them. Here's the point: Men, let's get our act together financially BEFORE we go after wifey (or #2). Here's an idea- we know that no one here in western life will pay father in law for her hand so where's the money to go? How about to the prospective wife as her introductory savings account so that if we bail on her "cuz she's got issues..." then she can start life over again? Don't be cheap- pay up.
Maddog2
 
Hi Maddog2.

I think "far above rubies" is the textbook answer to your question!

And on a practical side note, in both the African village and as part of a business-owning family, a wife can generate economic output, to a much higher degree than as the partner of an employee. Sorry I have an economic/financial brain.

I like the concept of men getting their act together financially before attempting to add any wife (even the first). For me, economic stability and capacity are necessary precursors, and something I have instructed to my sons.

Re paying father in law for her hand, hmmm, at least that would slow down some relationships and create a pause before physical commitment.

I do wonder about people doing 'polygamy on a shoestring'. While I think it is important and noble for couples to stick together regardless of economic circumstances, it is different to actually commence one on that basis.

If a man was interested in one of my daughters, what would I want to see on the financial side?

Here are some minimums:

1. Competency in a trade or profession.
2. Economic independence from parents and/or external assistance.
3. (preferably) owns a house - however for young people there is a balance here, as i would prefer to see marriage in humble circumstances to fornication.

and if the proposal was to add her as an additional wife, the bar is raised much higher:

3. would not be optional, it would be compulsory, and it would need to be a large house with no debt; plus
4. health insurance
5. savings
6. life insurance in favour of my daughter

Hmm, okay, that is for starters, I see the crowd at my front door has thinned considerably :lol:

ylop
 
8 years ago I was travelling around Egypt, within a tour group but single. I was told that a woman like me was worth 10 camels. I really don't think that the custom is followed as well as it used to be however as I had 10 marriage proposels in 12 days. That sounds flattering but it really isn't because it is just shop owners who will run out of their shops and chase you down the road begging you to marry them or their son. Does a shop owner selling Egyption towels really have enough money for 10 camels??? All of this while I wore an engagement ring to try to keep them away. I wonder what would have happened if I wasn't wearing one :?
I also wonder what my father would have done if 10 camels suddenly arrived on his doorstep :shock: :lol:
 
interesting on a number of levels... first, culturally, most of western culture is vastly different than culture 500-3000 years ago. We no longer buy our wives from their families. Okay, so technically it was more likely to replace the lost economic value of losing that person. I'll need to reference my copy of the History of Marriage.

Second, the value of rubies... now those are quite valuable... rubies, according to one source, are the most valuable gemstones in the world... however, some elements and minerals beat them out... antimatter is currently valued at about 62.5 trillion per gram... so if you have some in your pocket you might want to mosey on over to one of the national science labs and sell it to them... californium 252 is about 27 million per gram...
so if you believe your wife is worth more than antimatter we could update the verse accordingly... "far above anti-matter" nah.... doesn't sound as romantic. (not that sounding romantic should be our determination for the validity of Scripture... this is tongue in cheek). :)

My qualifications:
1) Not afraid to work, and works smart and has the ability to apply their knowledge and capability/potential.
2) Makes enough income to at least pay rent, food, clothes, insurance and save
3) Needs to have own place but doesn't have to own a house (ie, for most people the bank own's their home anyway)

Now, what about for me who would like to add a second. Well, I guess minimum would be what scripture says...
Ex 21:10 : Provision for food, clothing and marital rights... oddly nothing about shelter... hmm (ylop you're off on this one buddy, no home require... ;) )
Eph 5:25 : Love your wife so much that you'd give your life for her
Seems to be there is a verse in NT about he who doesn't provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever so maybe we get the house there...
Sure I've missed some and will let the next person add to the list...

So let's see here, if I can feed, clothe, provide marital rights and in our culture shelter and love her then I'm set... What am I missing? I think in our culture it would be appropriate to provide health and life insurance though to be certain those things aren't part of Scripture...

Finally, we live in a culture where it is possible that a woman with a career may make as much or more than her husband... it's not outside the realm of possibility. Something that wasn't likely for many women throughout history in the time frames we're talking about.

Now that I've stirred the pot I'll step back... :)
 
How much she makes can really be a problem. Dear old dad just may not want to give up that income very easily. Maybe 20 camels worth? What if you throw in a lighter too and a half rack of Miller? With all the sin taxes these days, that's a very large commitment!!
 
Just to make the calculations more interesting, as far as I can ascertain hourly wages in Africa range from around $US 0.70 (Tanzania) to $2.40 (South Africa). A cow appears to retail for around $US 400. Presuming a 60 hour working week (they're hardly likely to have our "luxurious" 40-hour weeks), that's an annual wage of somewhere around $2000 - $7000. If 8 cows are worth $3200, that equates to anywhere from 6 - 18 months of wages! So she's worth even more.

I'm now trying to figure out how on earth I'd manage to save up 18 months wages for my next wife... I'm sure she'd be worth it, but it would be a steep ask, even if you take it as after tax earnings.

We must remember that the family generally pitches in on these things, he's not necessarily doing this on his own. The husband's family comes up with the bride price, and part of that will probably have come from selling off his sister earlier. What goes around comes around!

Also, through much of Africa your housing cost is minimal, you can make a shack wherever you like without worrying about pesky council workers asking for fees for permits etc. So in the West, we invest many years of wages into housing, but get our wives for free. In Africa it's basically the other way around. Wives are worth far more than houses, so I think we've got it a bit backwards here.
 
Ummmm ...

If you get a rather YOUNG (but legal, of course) wife, can you use calves? Around $75 US around here. Might help out a bit ... :roll:
 
We're having way too much fun here... eh hemm... this is a serious board... ;)

I will say, if I had to give 18 months of wages, there would likely never be a 2nd (:o just don't tell my wife that), or it would be much later in life... (OR maybe it would provide the incentive to make it happen)
 
OR the folks who setup the Georgia Guidestones would not have to worry about population control. No-one could afford to marry.

Wait! That doesn't seem to be restricting the population at large NOW ... :lol:
 
This light hearted discussion brings up a serious matter which is the marriage of our daughters to men who are not truely serious in their commitment. Easy come easy go is the western mantra. No I don't want to deal with her issues that's not fun. But get the dude to fork over 35k cash for a new truck and he is worshipping that thing at every turn with new wheels and brush guard and 20000 winch and poly bed liner and..... you get the message. Let us then be duly serious when considering a LIVING treasure as our beloved.
 
Perhaps our best defense is the offense in which we live and model for our daughters the type of men we want them to marry. If you don't want them to marry a man who thinks more of his truck than his wife then make sure you model behavior in which your wife and family get more of your adoration and attention than your truck. :)
At the end of the day we can't control people. We can provide incentives, we can live it, preach and teach it, consequence it... but we can't force someone to do something they don't want to do. At least I don't believe it's possible to do so in a way that lines up with the Bible.
 
ylop said:
Here are some minimums:

1. Competency in a trade or profession.
2. Economic independence from parents and/or external assistance.
3. (preferably) owns a house - however for young people there is a balance here, as i would prefer to see marriage in humble circumstances to fornication.

and if the proposal was to add her as an additional wife, the bar is raised much higher:

3. would not be optional, it would be compulsory, and it would need to be a large house with no debt; plus
4. health insurance
5. savings
6. life insurance in favour of my daughter
Click to expand...

Agree 100%, I don't actually think it is fair to add a new wife if you can't financially support the one you have.

I was being paid attention by a man a few days ago at an event. He asked me about my work and then said 'I do not work....I gave it up to be an artist full time, maybe in a year or more I will start to sell something....'

And is he looking for a woman to live off of until that happens? Well it won't be me!!

Old fashioned that way,

Bels
 
Bels, How did he live? was he living off mommy and daddy or the state or wifey dearest? How can one pay their bills with no income for a year?

M
 
maddog2 said:
Bels, How did he live? was he living off mommy and daddy or the state or wifey dearest? How can one pay their bills with no income for a year?

M
Click to expand...

I did not ask him, I asked him what kind of art he did and he said 'I paint swirls' at that point I lost all interest in him as a man!

Swirls......I ask you! He was about 40 if he was a day!

phifft!

Bels - Just.....No.
 
Shoot, I want to be an artist (musician/actor) as well but there's the reality of needing to support a family for me. I won't be quitting any regular job until I have enough income from those ventures to support my family . wow... just wow. swirls, really?!? :)
 
They come to him when he's really drunk, and his mates are giving him a swirly! It's INSPIRED!

Or something!

Bels, you're gonna get too much mileage out of this one! :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
SWIRLS


you're making me dizzy
me head is spinning,
just like a whirlpool it never ends..........


dang, i am so old ;)
 
My hubby says that his wife is worth more than 20 Camels. He says I am worth a whole carton.

SweetLissa
 
My hubby says that his wife is worth more than 20 Camels. He says I am worth a whole carton.

SweetLissa
 
Well, that's for sure! Maybe even TWO cartons...lol
 
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