“I’d have got less for life”

[Randomnumbers7483]

Can I ask you please, when you hear a couple, or more specifically the man in the couple, referring to their wedding anniversary and using this phrase “Been married 20 years now - I’d have got less for life!”, what do you interpret that as meaning?

Am having a “debate” with DH over this and we have very different understanding and interpretations of this saying. Am trying to understand which of us is correct.

On the whole I do think a lot people say exactly what they mean, when they're "joking", though (re. racist and sexist "jokes", rape "jokes" etc).
A bit over the top

I only heard it once, a few years ago from a woman, ( I was a bit , that’s harsh, but I can over think things) she was divorced a year later.

I always assume it genuinely means that if the sayer had the guts to kill their spouse when they first realised what a dick they'd married, then they would have had an easier life than just going along with things for decades.

DW says it a lot.

IRL my late uncle has actually been the only person to make "jokes" like this, and he was a very nasty man (alcoholic, abusive, controlling - owned a shotgun and threatened to shoot his whole family etc) so that probably colours my view. On the whole I do think a lot people say exactly what they mean, when they're "joking", though

In my experience its the violent and controlling types who would say the exact opposite, always playing the devoted spouse in public. It's part of the projected image.

I've only ever heard this kind of lame joke from long term happily married types.

DH and I regularly make the joke
as do our kids
as did my grandparents
and my parents in law
and many other happily married friends