YOU’VE probably seen trad wives on TikTok, with their floral dresses, baked goods and supposedly idyllic family life.
One woman has revealed that this is far from reality, as she struggles to afford the basics after becoming a trad-wife.
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In fact, Jennie’s videos are a warning to other women about the ‘trad wife’ lifestyle.
For those who aren’t famaliar of the term, it is short for ‘traditional wife’ and centres around patriarchal sex roles within marriages.
Similar to relationships from the past, the husband will often be the breadwinner while the wife stays at home to look after the house and children.
Though it is uncommon in the UK, it has become increasingly glamourised on TikTok and Instagram in recent years – leading to a resurgence in the lifestyle.
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Even before social media though, Jennie had been tempted to become a ‘trad wife’.
Unlike many 19-year-olds, she’d dreamt of being a stay-at-home mum and raising her children in keeping with her Mormon faith.
Though she had been in college at the time, she decided to leave her education behind after falling in love with her ex-husband.
Over the next few decades, she’d struggled to have any money of her own and even handed over her small windshield business over to her husband – after being advised to do so by the church.
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Working but never earning her own money, the mum would come to regret this and claims her ex-husband eventually left her for a younger woman.
Better known as @lifetaketwo on TikTok, the influencer has been sharing the grim reality of rebuilding her life.
In a recent viral video, she explained that she wakes up most days and immediately checks her bank account to see if her former spouse has paid child support.
Showing the balance on the screen behind her, the figure revealed that there was just $2.50 (£1.99) left from the last payment.
Dubbing her ex a ‘deadbeat’, Jennie has had to become the breadwinner for her kids.
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Filming herself walking into a hardware store, she pointedly explained: “I’m an ex-trad wife, so I’m heading into Ace Hardware on a Saturday, instead of relaxing or playing golf, because I work seven days a week.”
Rather than working in the store though, the proud mum revealed that she will often flip furniture alongside her other two jobs just to get by.
She told her 372,000 followers that she was even working an extra shift that evening – despite renovating furniture all morning.
With limited funds in the bank, Jennie also has to be extremely cautious about spending and refuses to set foot in a grocery store without checking her account.
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She will even forgo basics like new shoes to help save the pennies, later revealing that she will often share shoes with her teenager.
This is something she has done so for five years.
Like many people struggling to make ends meet, the content creator refuses to top-up her petrol tank unless it is absolutely necessary – preferring to wait until payday.
She even moved into her uncle’s guest house in a desperate bid to save money.
Having had to rebuild her life, Jennie’s videos now sevre as a warning to others.
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In the caption, she even cautioned others: “It’s a hard knock life. A man is not a plan! Make your own money, ladies…”
We couldn’t agree more.
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What is a trad wife?
A trad wife (short for traditional wife) is a woman who chooses to take on an ultra traditional role in marriage, meaning she makes dinner and looks pretty whilst her husband goes to work.
The trend takes inspiration from the idea of a 1950s housewife.
Many ‘trad wives’ choose to dress in the style of clothing popular in this period (think floral dresses and frumpy cardigans).
Additionally, the values considered important to trad wives are similar to strict Christian values.
Trad wives believed they were not forced into this way of life, and that it was their purpose to be homemakers.
The trend, which has garnered attention on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, glamorises a time gone by with little acknowledgement of the economic challenges facing families and mothers today.