My name is Lydia. I am married with three children. My husband and I are employed. I earn about Sh130,000 net while my husband earns about Sh60,000. Our main household expenses are as follows: Rent Sh30,000, food and groceries Sh20,000, water and power Sh3,000, home internet and entertainment Sh5,000. My husband is unable to take care of all these expenses by himself and I have been chipping in. Our salaries have become a cause of serious tension because I don’t think he is good with money, yet he wants to control how I spend mine. He says I look down on him because I earn more. He only pays house rent and demands Sh20,000 support from me every month. I also have to fuel the family car and take care of our children’s grooming. So, essentially, he is contributing nothing despite working full-time. We are always fighting whenever I question what he does with his money. I am tired of this. I have been saving with the bank and currently, I have saved Sh2.3 million. I am also part of a chama where we are contributing Sh5,000 every month. I want to lease a plot of land and build temporary mabati rentals within Nairobi. My husband on the other hand wants to buy a Sh5 million lorry financed at 90 per cent and use me as a guarantor. I think it is a bad idea and I want out. How do I secure my financial future and the future of my children given the glaring signs that this marriage may not last? If I were to move out, how should I budget my Sh130,000 net salary? What should I save and invest in?
Benjamin Cheruiyot – the Engagement Lead at Abojani Investments, a personal finance and investments advisory firm
