"Budget wife" is the female counterpart of "budget husband," a concept introduced at least four years ago. The 2009 publication of the book Me and My Budget Husband popularized the term, and its 2012 transformation into a TV drama series fueled the term's further spread.
The word "budget husband" originates from the word "budget housing", government subsidized public housing for low-income households. As the name implies, budget husbands' economic power trails that of "diamond husbands" -- intelligent, educated, rich, and well-mannered men from respectable families. Nonetheless, a budget husband is the new ideal among Chinese female white-collar workers.
One of the main characteristics of a budget husband is that he be "normal." Not ugly but not too handsome; neither poor nor rich. In short: mediocre.
经济适用男一个主要的特点是“普通”。不丑但也不会太帅,不穷也不算有钱。简而言之就是,平凡。
But this mediocrity promises stability. Budget husbands are reliable, both financially and emotionally. They will loyally stay at home and take care of the house; they will not go out to bars or have extramarital affairs. (Source: .theatlantic.com)