Jealousy over an allowance is just puerile. Yes it is an Individual decision, but getting involved in a race to the bottom of the tree is not the answer. We are not some third world economy, and things aren't THAT bad for us to go around wearing horsehair shirts because we feel that allowances are a luxury. They are not.
They were introduced to recompense things like the cost of living abroad etc. sadly, there is no compensation for your wife or husband having to give up a sometimes well paid job so that you can live together, but that's life. However, those that berate the OP fail to understand that having been 'sold a pup' he now has to explain to the other half, the peculiarities of this allowance.
I for one think that the bone CS replies to him and Whernur are a disgrace, and miss the point completely.