Can One Breadwinner Provide Comfortably for a Young Muslim Family?
Assalam Alaykum, I want to ask mainly to young brothers who are married or planning to get married soon. It feels like the financial situation for our generation is very different from what our parents experienced. I hear stories of dads who could provide for their household and even support family back home, but for many of us that seems much harder now. Is it realistic for an average young husband to provide 100% and still live comfortably? I don’t mean luxury items - just a decent, comfortable life. I also feel like guys who speak honestly about how tough it is to be the sole provider are sometimes judged. Please don’t misunderstand me: I’d love to be the only provider, and Alhamdulillah I’m working hard toward that. But at the early stage of marriage it often feels difficult. For example, a newly graduated computer scientist here might start with around €55k, which after tax and family commitments comes down to roughly €3k/month for a married household, and once rent and essentials are paid there’s very little left to save. I’m not insisting on an exact 50/50 split, but is it manageable for most of you to be the sole provider as a young husband? How are you handling this in your marriages? Is splitting costs seen as unacceptable, or do most couples find practical ways to share financial responsibilities? JazakAllahu khairan for any advice or personal experiences.