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Money, Marriage, and Power: Why Financial Wisdom is a Marriage Issue

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Why Financial Wisdom is a Marriage Issue

I receive many distress calls from women.

Not only because of our work as The Couple Binders, where my husband and I support couples to thrive in marriage, but also in my role as a member of the Association of Women Lawyers in Uganda (FIDA Uganda), where I currently serve as Vice Chairperson of the BOD.

Across these different spaces; pastoral, relational, and legal, the stories are painfully similar.

Women calling because they feel trapped.
Women calling because betrayal has found them unprepared.
Women calling because love was trusted where wisdom should also have been applied.

Let me tell you about Nankya (name changed).

Nankya’s husband discouraged her from working. He promised to provide. Later, he travelled for work. Along the way, he found another woman. The provision was reduced. Eventually, he informed her, without apology, that he now had a second woman and intended to keep them both.

Nankya has no income.
No property in her name.
No financial leverage.

She feels powerless.

Then there is Laker (name changed).

Many women admire her life. She lives in a mansion. She drives a beautiful car. She dresses well. On the outside, she appears “secure.”

But underneath the beauty lies a dangerous truth.

The house is not in her name.
The car, though presented as a gift, is registered in her husband’s name.
Her lifestyle exists entirely at the discretion of another human being.

Two women.
Different lives.
One shared vulnerability: financial powerlessness within marriage.

Money is Not Everything - but it is a Marriage Issue

Let us be honest.

Money affects power dynamics in marriage.
Money affects a woman’s voice.
Money affects her options when things go wrong.

In an ideal marriage, a couple is financially one: shared vision, shared ownership, shared decision-making, mutual trust. A husband is not threatened by his wife’s productivity, and a wife is not afraid to grow.

But dear woman, when that is not your reality, when you notice selfishness, secrecy, or control, especially when your spouse actively stops you from earning a living, open your eyes.

Ask yourself this difficult but necessary question:

If this man dropped dead today, what would I do?

Then start doing that NOW.

Work is Not Rebellion. It is Wisdom

Some women were taught that complete dependence is virtue. It is not.

Dependence without protection is risk.

God did not design women to be silent, idle, or economically blind. Scripture celebrates women who work, think, trade, plan, and invest.

“She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”- Proverbs 31:16

The Proverbs 31 woman is not praised for passivity. She is praised for wisdom, diligence, and foresight. Her strength builds her home; it does not destroy it.

Wake Up, Dear Women

This is not a call to abandon marriage.
This is not a call to fight men.
This is not a call to bitterness.

It is a call to wisdom.

The advocacy for equality has created access: education, work, leadership, entrepreneurship. Take the space. Honour the sacrifices of those who opened these doors by walking through them.

A man will respect you more, not less, when he knows your survival is not at his mercy.

Choose Wisdom Over Applause

Do not be impressed by appearances.
Do not trade long-term security for short-term comfort.
Do not confuse luxury with safety.

Work. Build skills. Save. Invest. Own something. Ask questions. Insist on transparency.

Not because marriage will fail, but because wisdom prepares for all seasons.

“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” - Proverbs 14:1

A Call to Action: Become More Than a Wife

Many women lose themselves in marriage; not intentionally, but gradually. Their identity shrinks until all they are is someone’s wife, someone’s dependent, someone’s support system.

The More Than a Wife Programme exists to help women reclaim their identity, purpose, confidence, and capacity; spiritually, emotionally, and practically.

It is a space to:

Rediscover who you are beyond roles
Build inner strength and clarity
Grow in wisdom, faith, and self-worth
Learn how to thrive within marriage without losing yourself

If you are a wife or a woman preparing for marriage, this journey is for you. Contact me on +256702569757 for details.

Wisdom does not wait for a crisis.
It prepares before it comes.

Dear woman, wake up.
Not in fear but in wisdom.
Not in rebellion but in strength.
Not in competition but in dignity.

Your marriage deserves it.
Your future depends on it.

Lucy Peace Nantume

Co-founder – The Couple Binders

Lucy is a wife, mother, daughter, and friend striving to serve God with her whole life. She is a lawyer with expertise in human rights. Together with her husband, Ronald Kazibwe, they are passionate about helping couples to thrive in their marriages. They are “The Couple Binders.” Visit their website www.thecouplebinders.com for more details about them and what they do.

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