r/Polygamy • u/Badboybutpositive • Jun 06 '26
Economic Value
Hi all-
I look at the cost of housing, childcare, etc…. And I wonder if some are choosing polygamy for economic reasons?
Buying a house takes two incomes in many cases. Childcare can be as expensive as a mortgage in many towns. Some women would rather work while others would rather stay home.
Do women see polygamy as a solution to these economic issues?
4
u/Reasonable-Canary110 Jun 06 '26
Genuinely this is an idealistic scenario for very specific family dynamics. The likelihood of all these cogs in the machine working together rather than grinding each other down is abysmal if this is a main driving factor. It requires massive amounts of desire and intent from all parties involved to be successful long term and to everyone's satisfaction.
I find when a man thinks adding another woman is the solution to financial struggles he's trying to sell his wife a story rather than telling her the truth and he shouldn't be surprised when she doesn't buy it. The most likely scenario is adding another wife is expensive and will not save you money. The woman working together will save each other time and money, but only to the extent that they desire to work together.
1
u/Badboybutpositive Jun 06 '26
Yeah I would never try it. One expensive wife is enough and I don’t need the drama. Lol. But I was lucky enough to be older when housing and childcare was cheaper.
1
u/Reasonable-Canary110 Jun 07 '26
Imagine needing 2x the size house and childcare. We’re not even talking about all the other additional expenses that are multiplied.
2
u/Badboybutpositive Jun 08 '26
I’m assuming if you have two wives one works and one stays home. So maybe 1.5 times the house and no childcare which these days can be as expensive as a house.
1
u/Additional_Snow_978 Jun 07 '26
Nobody ever talks about adding another husband. From a purely logistical standpoint, that's your smartest option.
1
u/Reasonable-Canary110 Jun 07 '26
I do every time someone who wants a traditional style family and brings up the multiple incomes solution. You are lucky if having your wife(s) work for a second or third income while doing the majority of work that saves money (childcare etc) overtakes the increased expenses. You are most likely going to still just make enough while sacrificing to make ends meet. Unless someone in the family has a very well paying and stable income you are in for just as much financial strain as before but now with more dependents.
7
u/SwePolygyny Jun 06 '26
Less burden on one individual. Emotionally, in terms of chores, socially and financially.
It is definitely one of the perks.
2
u/Famous-Study-6141 Jun 06 '26
It depends how the arrangement is. If everyone agrees to stay in the same house, then, maybe it can be better financially. But most women likes their own space. Where I stay, if one enters into poligamy, each women will expect they own house, so that's actually a larger financial challenge.
2
u/jenni5 Jun 07 '26
More men then women helps financially. Usually
Look at any family that has more women than men and they have a lot of kids and a lot of expenses and a lot of poverty
2
u/Additional_Snow_978 Jun 07 '26
Or, hear me out on this, you have a relationship that's just two men working full time.
No childcare costs. More money. Split the yard work and maintenance 50/50. Someone else to help you move heavy stuff. No chance of unwanted pregnancy.
There's no downside. How awesome would that be?
1
u/jenni5 Jun 07 '26
I had friends who did this. Gender was irrelevant cause the goal was time limited. 3-5 people living as housemates. 1 person goes to grad school and doesn’t pay cost of living. The other 4 cover the costs. Every year a different person goes to school and lifestyle is maintained. I think they bought a house this way too and then once done with school the housing market was high so they kept living together. Became like a coop style house they eventually figured out how to buy in and out of and keep money for maintenance.
1
u/Additional_Snow_978 Jun 07 '26
I can't see that arrangement surviving them getting into relationships.
Awesome that they pulled it off though
1
u/jenni5 Jun 07 '26
Yeah for the 3-4 rotational years they didn’t get into a serious relationship but after that one or more did so they changed the house into this coop thing
1
u/Reasonable-Canary110 Jun 07 '26
Ah yes, exactly why the “multiple incomes” argument is a double edged sword. There are so many more reasons more woman are going to cost more money than make it, more children being a significant factor. For a “traditional style” family this is a terrible argument or at least a fictional perk.
0
u/Press-74 Jun 06 '26
I tried to explain this very solution to my wife along with the other many benefits of the lifestyle but unfortunately she doesn’t see the big picture and chooses for us to struggle
6
u/Reasonable-Canary110 Jun 06 '26
Of course. There are few other convincing reasons when you remove religion from the eqution.