FINE CHINA IS FOR SINGLE WOMEN, TOO
L. Brownback

"Despite a substantial income and a strong domestic inclination, Carrie has lived in a sparsely furnished studio apartment for several years. She rarely entertains because there isn't anywhere for guests to sit. There are two straight-backed chairs pushed up to a small round table in the living area. But her decor has nothing to do with minimalist taste. With plenty of money at hand, Carrie has set out several times to buy a sofa but she never commits to a purchase. Instead she laughs off the empty space. "I'd rather have nothing than risk buying something I won't like once I get it in here," she says. But I don't think that is why Carrie doesn't buy furniture. Carrie is desperate to get married. I believe she is afraid to make her apartment into a home because it will solidify her solitary existence. As long as she makes no investment in her home, she feels more poised to exit her current life and begin a married one.

A lot of women live that way, although subconsciously. Even when doing so would be a wise step, financially speaking, many single women will not purchase a home lest eligible men view them as too independent. Also in their thinking is the fear that after committing to such a major purchase, they might meet a man and thus be saddled with a cumbersome financial responsibility. So they wait and wait and wait, shelling out a good bit of income on rent.