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Here's my advice for boys: The hardest and most important decision you will ever make is choosing your wife.

The last place on Earth you can figure out if your current GF is the one is in her home (if that's where you are living).

‘Here’s my advice for boys.’

As each of our 6 grandsons were born to 3 of our 4 daughters, I told the parents
‘*I* get to pick their son’s wives . . . !’

Here's my advice for boys: The hardest and most important decision you will ever make is choosing your wife.

Very true. Marry (or worse, have children) with the wrong woman and your life is guaranteed to be an expensive hell for up to 18 years (22 in some jurisdictions).

Here's my advice for boys: The hardest and most important decision you will ever make is choosing your wife.

That is good advice but the key is to allow the man to choose on his own without being influenced by others one way or the other. A lot of men are forced into marriage through family or peer pressure. Until a man takes the vows, he owes the woman nothing. Above all else, he must ensure that he does not impregnate his girlfriend for if he does, all bets are off.

When considering marriage, a man needs to assess the following factors:

How much influence does the wife-to-be parents have over her? If any, stay away from marriage or your life will be a hen-pecked hell. Look for women that are strong and independent. I met my wife when she already had her own apartment.
Financials. If your wife-to-be insists (or even talks about) keeping money separate after the marriage, that is a very bad sign. Likewise, if you feel you need to address pre-nuptials in any way, shape, or form, you are better off not getting married in the first place. In order for a marriage to work, there should be no concept of "his money" and "her money" as that is recipe for disaster. Whatever my wife and I have is "ours" - no matter who makes it. In fact, we don't even buy each other presents anymore because as it's coming from "our" money, it's rather pointless. Instead, we go on vacations together or out to eat when we want to celebrate something.
Separate interests and "time away". My wife and I recognize that we have separate interests and need our own space and time for those activities. My wife is out of the house several nights a week with her own activities and likewise, I will get out on my own, whether it be a weekend of camping and fishing with the guys or just heading out to the beach by myself where I can read a book or two by the surf in peace and quiet. Many wives begrudge their husbands this "alone" time and many husbands do likewise with their wives - due in most part to jealousy and desire for control. These marriages are doomed to fail (or be unhappy and miserable).

Bottom line is that marriage is more risky for men then it is for women. Women will always be taken care of, whether their marriage fails or not. There is also no social stigma for women to be dependent on others (such as moving back in with their parents or going on welfare). On the other hand, a man will pay for a bad marriage for the rest of his life and if a divorced man has any trouble at all supporting himself AND his estranged family, then he is seen as a worthless bum.

Here's my advice for boys: The hardest and most important decision you will ever make is choosing your wife.

Easiest and best decision I ever made.