I fully supported my ex for years, it wasn't hurting me that bad money wise, but it bothered me, it wasn't the money, it's more of a respect thing, or being equal, if that makes sense. I didn't think it was going to bother me going into it, but it wore on me year after year, like I said having a PARTNER is a beautiful thing, but if I'm going to have a pet I'd rather get a dog.
My wife and I do everything together. We can't stand being apart. The number of days in a year that we're apart for more than 4 hours I can count on 1 hand.
Her hobbies are my hobbies. We remodel properties for fun (pseudo-investment - but you end up with like minimum wage equivalent so it's more about the fun). My wife is as comfortable as I am around a miter & table saw, nail gun, router, cement mixer, backhoe, auger, PVC/ABS you-name-it. Ok, you got me - I use the framing nailer because it's too loud for her, and she cuts the crown molding, because I always screw up the angles. So maybe we're not 100% equal...
My wife also used to like Christmas lights. I didn't. But I got into it, and even more than she ever was - now we order lights by the pallet and we spend about a month per year putting it up together and writing choreography. My motto: "If something is worth doing, it's worth overdoing.".
And when I first started at my startup, we didn't have any income for about 18 months. She could have gone to work if needed, but the thought of being apart for more than a couple of hours at a time was unbearable. So we just sucked it up and cut back, and got through that time without income.
We have no other friends. We don't need or want anybody except for each other. We are addicted to each other and have been for 15 years.
This is partnership. It has nothing to do with who earns the actual money.