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This paper aims to analyze the economic role of the dowry in eighteenth-century Turin households. Although the dowry belonged exclusively to the woman, it was subjected to the husband's control throughout the marriage. While this dowry could not be sold, as it was inalienable, legal proceedings on dowry alienation allowed couples to alienate dowry against cash. The analysis of a large corpus of these civil proceedings shows that couples use or invest this capital to ensure their well-being and/or to settle into a professional activity relevant to their livelihood. This study also shows that alienation was used by couples as a strategic way to accelerate payment of the dowry, often promised but never paid, as well as to freely and legally dispose of it. Finally, in this paper we discuss possibilities and opportunities of choices and actions for couples (particularly wives) to manage their property.