Whenever my wife sees coworkers and acquaintances sharing vacation photos on social media, she gets jealous and makes sarcastic comments about me.
We've been married for over 10 years and both come from farming backgrounds, initially moving from the countryside to the city in search of education and work.
After we got married, we rented, but after three years we saved up and got a loan to buy a small house in the suburbs. Our monthly living expenses are stable, and after the mortgage payment we have a little money left over for unexpected expenses.
My wife started her current job over a year ago at a large corporation with great benefits. Her coworkers, who come from wealthy families, often spend money on luxuries such as fashionable clothes, dining out at restaurants, quality education for their children, and regular vacations. Every summer, they eagerly plan trips and discuss attractive travel destinations.
Since we got married, we have never taken a vacation. Instead, we visit family back home during long vacations, which is always expensive.
In the past, my wife used to look forward to these visits and disliked traveling during the holidays because of the crowds. However, her attitude has changed since she started working at her current company. She often says that she feels left out because she has never taken a vacation since getting married, and she gets sad when she sees others enjoying the trips her spouse has arranged.
I am truly disappointed in her change of mindset. I would love to take her on a vacation once our financial situation improves and the debt is paid off, but even though we are in a tight financial situation, her demands have not stopped and are unbearable. Plus, our expenses have increased recently.
How can I help my wife see our financial realities the way she once did?
