Perhaps I've found the secret for an unhappy private life. EVERY THREE years, I go and MARRY a girl who doesn't love me, and then she proceeds to take all my MONEY.

But a married spouse at whatever income level is almost always GOING to improve the economy of a HOUSEHOLD over a LIFETIME, whether that spouse is adding the proceeds of a minimum-wage job or the inestimable value of being a stay-at-home PARENT while the other one WORKS.