to ask which one of this women has the most desirable life?

[pancakesarebetterthanwaffles]

Just curious :) All are in their 40s.

Woman 1:
Earns 70K, works full time in a fairly flexible job from 8-5. Happy in her marriage, DH has a similar wage and job, 2 kids (13 year old and 15 year old.) Has at least 2 holidays a year, drives a BMW, has a lot of close friends but wished she worked less and had more time to herself.

Woman 2:
SAHM, spends all day at clubs, the gym, walking the dog, baking. DH earns 90K, her children are teens so no childcare involved. Has an amazing life with 2 family holidays a year and goes away with her friends once a year too. Is unhappy as she has a degree and used to earn 60K but wants the lovely life she has but feels bored and is constantly paranoid about her DH as he works away a lot.

I'm not either of them! Asking out of curiosity.

Racecardriver Goodness, yes - how do they manage living on the breadline like that?

2 has the better life

I used to be 1, slightly fewer hours and no BMW. Am now 2, with less than 90k and no paranoia. But - I study and do lots of volunteering so I feel my life has a purpose. I’d be bored shitless if I did what your 2 does.

Tbh I’m not sure which I prefer. There are plus points in both. I think you have to do whatever gives your life meaning.

Interesting question OP!

Neither. I would not work fulltime, but also wouldn't be a SAHM.

Would work fulltime when dc all become self sufficient, but not before.

Woman 21. They have more money and she is happy in her marriage.
She will have her own pension and cushion for her retirement too, and with a good salary like that depending on other things she might be able to retire early

Sorry there is obviously no woman 21
I meant woman 1

Definitely 1. Would never want to give up my job.

Number 1. Number 2 would be boring and unfulfilling, and she’s leaving herself very vulnerable financially.

Definitely 1 can't imagine staying home all day I'd die of boredom !

1 although I wouldn't like either of those lives.

At the moment my job is nearly killing me so I’d say 2. But I wonder how long I’d do that for before I fancied being woman number 1...

I think it's horses for courses. I am women 1, which is great now and I'm enjoying life and everything that comes with it. However when children were younger it was hell, constant guilt about childcare and juggling school stuff with work. I would have then preferred to be women 2. Had that happened i almost certainly wouldn't be women 1 now.

Well, good luck to number 2 if her paranoia isn’t paranoia but well based suspicion.

Number 1 every time.

1. I am no 1 except I earn more and I work part time.

I think the one who is happiest.
Number 2 would be better off if she found some purpose, either volunteering or a part time job to prevent her feelings of worthlessness.

Woman 1 but ideally I would drop down to 3 days. Plus they have more money.

1

personally I think part time working for both parents is the dream.

Woman 1 by a whisker. If it wasn't for the paranoia about the husband then woman 2 without a shadow of a doubt!

1 but only because she’s paranoid about her husbands faithfulness.

*she’s not

2 but she can now do something else.

As woman 1, with some subtle differences, I’d love to have more time to myself, I think I’d be a much nicer person if I didn’t work so much, so I’d probably like to be woman 2 if given the choice.

1 but your post is biased as you have said she is unhappy