Nigerian artiste Flavour’s song “Nwunye Odogwu” is one of my favorites.
It’s a hit for many reasons.
Not just because it’s danceable and Nigerians love to dance but also because of the lyrics.
First of all, the literal translation of the title is “A rich man’s wife,” and the song speaks of a high-maintenance wife and all the luxury, pampering, and lavish lifestyle she requires.
So, naturally, many ladies love the song.
I’ve heard different people interpret the term “high-maintenance wife or woman” in different ways.
Some people see her as a high-class woman who loves quality only and won’t settle for less.
While others see her as needy, materialistic, spoilt, narcissistic, and demanding.
If you asked me, I’d say it depends on how you look at it.
A high-maintenance woman can be either or, and she can be both; it just really depends on her personal life, choices, story, and mindset.
However, I’m not here to end the debate about whether being a high-maintenance woman is bad or good.
I’m here to tell you the signs that prove that you’re a high-maintenance wife.
From these signs, you’re going to see that it’s generally a mix of nice and not-so-nice behaviors.
8 Signs You Are A High-Maintenance Wife
1. You love the good life
Some wives are the definition of “…And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”
Women who are okay with average.
They don’t mind repeating their outfits until hey’rn out, and they area fine with just little.
With wives like this, living paycheck to paycheck is totally okay; they even see it as a blessing to be able to live from hand to mouth.
These women are modest about life and comfortable with little.
But that’s not you.
You’re the opposite of being okay with little.
You’re more of the high-end woman who loves good things and desires them for herself.
You’re not the type to manage or try to pretend that you’re not interested in luxury when, in fact, luxury is your second name.
One of my favorite aunties is the perfect description of this point.
That woman is the literal definition of Sophistication.
She has eyes for the good things, and she goes for them.
Her husband knows her taste is high, so he never offers her any substandard gift or experience.
Her Instagram stories and page are one of my favorite places to be because I love the good life, and she’s sure to feed her followers’ eyes with beautiful things.
If it’s not her newly purchased Dior bag, it’s pictures from her vacation in Santorini.
It’s always so interesting to watch!
However, that’s because she can afford it, and her husband is also an odogwu (a financially capable man).
I don’t know what the story would have been if she had not been rich and married to a rich man.
2. You perform poorly when there’s scarcity
Life is full of ups and downs; one essential skill every adult must have is the ability to adapt quickly.
For instance, knowing to reduce your shopping is common sense when your cash inflow reduces.
But I must say that some people have this adaptability more than others.
If you notice that you find it difficult to adapt to hardship, you’re a high-maintenance wife.
Just like the character Ladun in the Book and Movie The Smart Money Woman.
She’s a spoiled wife who used to get everything she wanted because her husband’s family was rich.
And I don’t mean just rich; I mean crazy rich.
But unfortunately, when her father-in-law passed, his family discovered that he wasn’t in a good financial place and he was, in fact, bankrupt.
Of course, this affected everything else, including Ladun and her expensive lifestyle.
She had to cut down on many things naturally, but it was a difficult process for her.
She had a very hard time adjusting, and it almost affected her marriage.
Glamorous wives don’t know how to manage.
Whenever it seems like the quality and standard of life they’re used to is dropping, they begin to struggle.
3. You’ve always been a high-maintenance girl
A high-maintenance wife is a woman who has always been a lady of fine taste.
If you used to be an average woman who was okay with little but eventually married a wealthy man, you can’t exactly call yourself high maintenance because you just arrived into that life; it’s not really your wiring.
But if you’ve always been an advocate for lavish lifestyle even before you got married, then you can wear it like a badge.
Perhaps you have always been refined and inclined to quality experiences only.
You do your best to go for the best possible quality available within your means and make the most of it.
When you get married, you’ll likely continue in that direction.
4. You’re not impressed with little
While some women may jump and scream at certain things that men do for them, you find yourself being unimpressed by those things.
It’s not necessarily because you’re ungrateful (well, maybe there’s that), but also because you require much.
And I know I’ve focused on the material and financial aspects a lot but it’s not always restricted to that.
It applies to affection, attention, and care, too.
You cannot function when you are starved of love, respect, care, and affection.
You find that you require constant attention from your husband and may become upset if you feel neglected.
You want him to check on you, communicate, and just be there.
Of course, you also want material gifts, but you feel the urge to express your dissatisfaction when your husband gives you anything you perceive as less luxurious.
5. You put yourself first
As you must have seen, many of the signs have an element of selfishness in them.
It may not mean you’re totally a selfish person, but you should definitely prioritize yourself.
You’re unlikely to put yourself in unpleasant or uncomfortable situations just for others to be happy.
You don’t subscribe to things that don’t serve you, even if it’s for the sake of others.
Unless it’s someone very close, like your husband or children, they better have good reasons.
6. Grooming and appearance
One of the fastest ways to identify a high-maintenance wife is by her appearance.
You’re the definition of “never to be caught unfresh” because you spend a lot of time and money on your appearance.
You place a significant emphasis on your appearance, frequenting spas, salons, and visits to aestheticians.
Looking good is good business, although in this business, you do not make any monetary profits; instead, you spend.
7. Your lifestyle is expensive
I’m sure I’ve made this clear already, but let me explain it a bit to avoid any doubts.
A high-maintenance wife spends a lot of money.
That’s why she’s called high maintenance.
And when I say expensive, money is not the only thing you spend, you spend time too.
You spend a lot of money on clothing, makeup, and hair appointments, and you take forever to get ready for an event, even if it’s something as casual as a day at the beach.
It may be a lot for some women.
But for you, it’s not.
8. You are difficult to please
Just like my aunty, whom I spoke about earlier, whose husband has to put on his thinking cap before he can get her a present she’ll love.
Perhaps that’s you.
Your husband feels he cannot take you to a restaurant you’d be happy with, buy you a gift you’d like, plan a date you’d enjoy, or do you favors that you’d appreciate without giving it serious thought and money of course.
And this is because your expectations are not just high but above roof level.
You have very specific and elevated expectations of your husband and he knows It.
No doubt, being a high-maintenance wife is no joke, and it is definitely not cheap.
Some people might see it as bad, but it is not inherently negative.
It’s just about the woman’s values and personality.
Another reason people might see it negatively is that this article only focused on what a high-maintenance wife requires; we didn’t examine what she can offer in return.
But one thing is certain: if you’re a high-maintenance wife, you require a lot.
And if you require a lot, it’s only natural that you give back a lot, too, especially in a marriage.
Marriage is about two people, not just one person’s needs and desires.
So, if you have identified through this article as a sophisticated wife, you want to match that with being a wife who returns the energy she gets from her husband.
If he’s serving you and meeting your high-maintenance needs, be sure to fill his love tank in return.
That’s how to make the equation balanced.