"Dejjem ninkwieta fuq il-flus..." the gendered dimensions of emotional inequalities in managing household money in Malta

Abstract

Drawing on a critical feminist qualitative study of eight married heterosexual couples in Malta, interviewed both jointly and individually, this paper examines the emotional experience and emotional inequalities embedded in household money management. It explores how partners interpret responsibility, worry, and confidence in everyday financial decision-making and how these affective dimensions shape the gendered organisation of domestic economic life.

Analysis of 24 in-depth, semi-structured interviews reveals a persistent emotional asymmetry: wives consistently shoulder a disproportionate share of financial anxiety, anticipatory planning, and self-doubt regarding budgeting, spending, and saving. This remains evident even in couples who describe their financial arrangements as "shared." In contrast, husbands more frequently articulate — or are portrayed by their spouses as embodying — feelings of confidence, expertise, or delegated responsibility. Many men frame financial management as a technical or even an enjoyable task, rather than an ongoing emotional burden. Notably, this sense of ease is not mirrored when wives take primary responsibility for the household finances.

These dynamics reflect entrenched cultural norms that position women as the emotional guardians of household wellbeing and men as competent financial actors within marriage. The study demonstrates that emotional inequalities, particularly around anxiety, responsibility, and confidence, constitute an under-recognised dimension of the gendered division of labour.