Household financial decision making: Qualitative research with couples

21
Decision-making typologies
‘I want to retire early but the likelihood is that it is not going to happen because the goalposts 
have all moved.’
(Abbey, 40s, South East)
3.2.3 
Defining characteristics
The Unbalanced Responsibility segment is characterised as follows:
• there is a dominant alpha partner, usually a woman, who is more ‘worldly’ in her outlook than the 
beta partner;
• beta partners are relatively disengaged from household finances and financial decision making;
• the alpha partner has more ownership of the decision-making process overall, and is much more 
active than the beta partner in taking a decision forward from inception to action;
• alpha partners were more likely to have begun, or at least considered, making provision for 
retirement, than beta partners.
3.2.4 
Case study: Cara and Tim
Cara and Tim are in their early 20s and live in the North West. Earlier this year they decided to 
buy a house together. Cara left university a year ago and has started her first job in the NHS as a 
support worker, but wants to become a psychologist eventually and plans on earning much more 
in the future than she does now. She sees herself as being at the beginning of her career. Tim has 
worked as a builder since leaving school, but has recently been promoted and is now earning a 
higher salary than Cara. Cara usually manages all household bills and informs Tim how much he 
needs to pay her each month towards each bill.
Cara admits that she used to be a ‘spender’ when she was at university, but has since become 
more sensible. She describes herself as ‘bossy’ and enjoys being in control of their finances.
‘I am quite paranoid about finance. I don’t like being in debt. I don’t like owing money. It 
stresses me out. […] I basically do everything for Tim. I pay everything and then I tell Tim what 
he has to give me for his share.’
(Cara)
Tim also says he used to be less inclined to save but has started saving more in the last two years. 
He admits that he leaves most of the financial organisation to Cara.
‘I didn’t [get involved with the process of moving house]. Cara does all that. I want to move 
house but I won’t do anything about it. I always say that I am more busy at work but I am not 
really because Cara works now.’ 
(Tim)
 
‘Cara normally sets it out and organises the money more. She just says what we need to put 
money away for and all that kind of thing.’
(Tim)

---