Women who have married rich men and don't work, how do their finances work?

[StationeryAddiction]

Let's say a woman who marries an investment banker whose salary is triple figures and their bonus is triple figures (not sure how realistic these figures are). Does the wife get given some kind of allowance? Are budgets set for things?

I ask because I see someone on Instagram who appears to be married to this type of man. She seems like an extremely pleasant, down to earth woman and very family orientated. Most months the family goes on holiday be it abroad or the nicest staycations in the UK. She has many Hermes sandals, Chanel bags etc but she does shop at the high street too. She is definitely a lady who lunches, often at the likes of The Ivy etc. I'm not sure that an investment bankers salary can even fund all this, let alone taking savings and investments into consideration but let's assume it does. I'm just really curious as to how the finances work in these kinds of situations? Does she have to ask if she wants a new bag? Does she get given x amount a month? Does he tell her she can book a each holiday for no more than £15k? Does she have access to the bulk of the money? I'm well aware it's none of my business and I'm not jealous. Just intrigued.

I get £1000 a month plus I work around 20 hours/week, then he pays for everything else, I’m low maintenence so that’s plenty I’m far better off than living solo.

My aunt Married two very wealthy men, the first marriage lasted about 20 years. She never was allowed her own money, she had to ask him every time she needed something. He didn’t say no, but she still had to ask

her second husband also didn’t give her own money. She had to take a job in a shop to be able to buy her own things.

both husbands were Filthy rich and they led a luxury lifestyle, but they just never gave her free access to the money

My husband earns a lot and I wound down my career when we had small children. Everything is pooled (except my earnings which I use to buy him and my family and friend's presents) and use for frivolous things like spa days.

I'm not into handbags really. I only ask about big spends or holidays.

My husband earned 20 times what I did, so when kids came along and I realised two kids in daycare was more than my take home pay I gave it up.
He had an ex wife to support and three kids in private school (last one started after eldest left) one at a boarding school. So after all that there was considerably less disposable income - certainly not enough for more than one holiday a year - but there's no denying we were very comfortable.
Because of the commitments to his ex his salary went to his account, then an amount was transferred to joint account, from which food, child costs etc came out of, as I did most of that kind of shopping. He paid the mortgage and bills and my credit card out of his. I was free to spend as I wished - he never ever questioned what I bought or why. But I wasn't going out and buying designer clothes or anything - we weren't that well off nor would I spend frivolously. Any high ticket items, like a TV, we discussed. Most of our holidays were at my family home in Spain so in a sense I contributed to that, and I did pay the deposit on our £1.25m house from the sale of my own.
He did once say he found that many couples had this 'his money is our money but her money is hers', but as I didn't earn, most of his money, outside his commitments, was ours. But the fact remained he earned it, and I did feel he had veto power which I didn't.

CEO

DP's income has always gone straight into a joint account to which we both have full access.

Mine goes into my own account...

One of the couples I used to work for had a husband who was a CEO and he got 270k as a golden handshake just for taking the job!!!! That completely blew me away.

Thats pretty usual as you are typically loosing share options/bonus at the place you are leaving and they make it up so you are not out of pocket.

Happens with £70k jobs as well not just £million ones

I’d never heard of it before. Basically enough money to outright buy a house for walking into a job. Crazy.

We just have a joint account and I spend what I like. We don’t have any budgets or allowances aside from regular payments to pensions and ISAs (our pensions and isa amounts are nearly identical) . This only works because we have the same financial goals and I’m not interested in spending £££ on handbags etc. we both have parents who raised us frugally and it’s rubbed off! Holidays we like the same sort of thing so again it’s not like I’m trying to book helicopter transfers rather than taxi. My DH has never asked me how much something costs on the rare occasion when I come home with new clothes or shoes. I have my own credit card but it’s just paid off every month out of the joint account.