It’s an old chauvinist joke that women are only interested in marriage for money, and are just looking to land themselves a rich husband who they can bleed dry. However, the statistics of when women choose to cash i their husbands couldn’t be more telling.

Since the mid 1970’s, men have applied for divorce on a steady level, no really being swayed by financial climates. Women on the other hand, seem to chuck their husbands when the going gets tough. The two highest years for women applying for divorce were 1993 (the last house price crash) and 2003 (when equities were at their lowest).

This year should be a bumper year for divorce too as house prices are falling quicker than a skydiver with no parachute. If you’re a wealthy cityworker with a wife who likes the high life, be warned, she just may be looking to jump ship if your earnings are dipping in the credit crunch.

Clive Bellmore