Never marry for money; you can borrow it cheaper. — Edward Albee

Never marry for money; you can borrow it cheaper.

Author: Edward Albee

Insight: There's a practical sting in this advice that goes beyond the obvious. Sure, we all know that marrying rich doesn't guarantee happiness. But Albee's point cuts deeper—he's saying that money is the worst reason to gamble on a lifetime partnership, partly because money itself is so readily available if you actually need it. A loan, a job, time and effort—these will get you cash. But they won't get you a compatible person to wake up next to. What makes this stick is how it flips our usual anxieties. We often feel like we need to "secure" ourselves financially before committing to someone, or we worry that our lack of money makes us unlovable. Albee suggests the real security trap is the opposite: tying yourself to someone primarily for their wealth is actually the financially worse deal. You're trading your entire life for access to something you could get through ordinary channels. The quietly radical part? This implies that the right reasons to marry—genuine connection, shared values, compatible life rhythms—are actually the more pragmatic choice. A partner you genuinely want to build with will help you weather financial rough patches far more effectively than a rich person you resent. Money can be borrowed. Resentment compounds interest forever.