Spending Gap vs Gender Pay Gap

I think we've all heard the stereotype 'women spend more than men', but actually, it's not true.

Some may argue that if women spend less, they'd have more money, solving the issue of the gender pay gap. BUT, according to Bazaar and FHM magazine, men actually spend more on impulsive buys and irresponsible purchases than women! Women spend paychecks faster, however men spend more of their paychecks.

So why do women end up spending more? Mogul magazine carried out some research last year and here's what they found:

Clothing:

Men: £150/year

Women: £755/year

Women clothes tend to be more expensive.

Hair/Makeup:

Men: £110/year

Women: £900/year

Even if men's and women's products are identical, women's products tend be more expensive. Women are also charged tax on certain products, e.g. razors, even though they're the same as men's razors. 

Reproductive health:

Men: £90/year

Women: £166/year

Men spend money on protection such as condoms, whilst women are charged more for birth control. Women also spend on sanitary towels and tampons which are considered a 'luxury item' and are taxed (aka pink tax)...there's nothing luxurious as periods.

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It's estimated that woman spend over £70.000 on their appearance in their lifetime, much more than men do. So, why do women spend so much? 

I sat there one day scanning my hairy arms, thinking when to schedule in another laser hair removal session but feeling anxious about spending another £200 on it. Feeling frustrated, I thought 'why is being a woman so darn expensive?'

Which led me to think 'do I really need to remove my hair? Who am I doing it for?' A lot of us have fallen into the trap that we need to be hair-free to be beautiful, that we need to constantly maintain our looks and invest in the latest beauty treatments and anti-ageing products. I'll admit, I've fallen into it as well.

But lately, I've been questioning this. Women spend thousands of pounds on beautifying themselves because society tells us to. We're told that women don't age well, whilst men age like George Clooney, so anti-ageing products are constantly being shoved in our faces. I've heard stories about women showing their body hair in pictures and receiving rape and death threats from men for it. But why do we remove hair? To please the man? 

We don't have to spend money on makeup, beauty products, new clothes, accessories and fancy face creams. But if we don't, we're considered 'not sexy' or 'not feminine'. I'm not saying that spending money on your looks is a bad thing, if removing your body hair and investing in your looks makes you feel confident, go for it! But I can't help thinking, has society taught women to fear ageing, gaining weight and having body hair? Are we just falling for advertising gimmicks rather then accepting our natural beauty?

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What's your view on the spending gap? We'd love to hear your opinions in the comment box below

Lots of love,

Ramona

xxx

Founder of Rani & Co.