To ask DH to contribute some money for summer

You may not split finances, so to speak, but he should still be contributing 50% to child related expenses.

I don't understand how you split your finances. Do you normally pay for everything relating to the children and he pays for everything else? It seems a funny way of sharing costs.
I don't see why you can't organise a joint account for this sort of thing.

Anyway, in terms of asking for more, it really depends where that money is going and what is spare. Does he have more fun money than you as he earns more? Does he usually put surplus in savings for you both?
Yes you need more money but I think you should also look at how as a family your money is budgeted - if yours is all gone but he has plenty to spare this doesn't sound like a fair arrangement.

Of course it does. You just have to set it up in a way that works for you specifically. You don't have to pool everything you could both contribute to a joint account that groceries and expenses for the children comes from and keep everything else separate if you want.

We run our finances in the same was as you. I mentioned it to DH yesterday and he immediately transferred me over a chunk of money to cover the additional outgoings. No problem at all. Having separate finances works best for us overall but we both acknowledge that sometimes it gets out of kilter for whatever reason.

We have two children and I seem to be haemorrhaging money this summer. It isn’t even expensive days out, even things like a trip to the park once you’ve factored in parking and ice creams can leave not much change from £20. Plus because I’m with them in the one buying eg sun cream, snacks, groceries so we have food for dinner etc.

I don’t understand why you’d think it wasn’t his responsibility to contribute to all this.

When you say he pays more, what does that entail? What’s your financial setup? Who pays for stuff for the kids, normally? Groceries and so on? Do you have a joint account into which you both pay a set amount for this sort of thing? If not, you clearly need one.

He should be contributing to entertaining his children. I don't know how you want to do that if you want to decide on a budget and then have him pay a proportion of his income into it and then you pay a proportion of your income into it but he can't just leave it all to you.

They’re his kids!

why would asking him for money towards raising them be unreasonable.

I know people like separate accounts and often money is paid in proportionately but that only works if your portion isn’t the only one funding their childrens activities

Of course it’s reasonable. Would it be easier to have a joint credit card for food/kid related expenses thst gets paid off every month.

But yes just say I’ve spent £££ on kids can you contribute as I’m running low.

Of course he should contribute to the cost of entertaining DC over the summer, but fwiw, I thought of it as failure if I had to buy snacks or drinks on a trip to the park.

I always took them with me because, as you say it adds up astonishing quickly and who wants to spend £100 pw on trips to the park, even if you can afford it?

Joint account for kids / home / family life.
separate account for gym membership, daily coffee, additional personal optional expenses, birthday/xmas gifts for each other.

YABU to wonder if it’s reasonable to ask him! I would just tell him that you need more money and for the reasons you’ve put in your post.

Of course not. I am sure if the shoe was on the other foot he would do the same. Can you add up what you have spent so far and ask for half.

If you're married you are financially one entity, so completely pointless having two separate accounts.

Keep two separate for fun money if you want, but just get a joint account. He should of course be paying for his kids.