Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mother continually asking about finances

43 replies

Dolphindances · 22/09/2025 10:56

AIBU to refuse to give my mother any information about my finances. I am a 42 year old professional.

she walked into my new house and first question she asked was how much did this cost then? She then asked how much I got for selling another property. She then continually asked how much my business cost to partner in with. She is now asking if we will send our children to private school and how much this will cost. She asks when my husband is planning to retire as he ‘must have plenty of money now’. She asks how much of our property I own (we are married). She looks up the cost of our holidays and drops it into conversation how much it costs when I know I would never have told her. When I get awkward and do not answer these questions, she tries other family members to get the information. None of which know the answer as no one else has ever asked me or seemed to care.

without a drip feed i barely speak to my mother following years of abuse and neglect as a child, none of my siblings take much to do with her either so these comments are within the short spells of spending anytime / short phone calls with her. I would want no contact in an ideal world but i tried that and she turns up to my house demanding i talk to her which is very upsetting and not worth my mental health. I strongly suspect she has a personality disorder. I worked 3 jobs at times to fund my way through university whilst using all the loans / bursaries i could. I made my way to university aged 18 on a train with a bin liner to hold my things as we could not afford a suitcase. She was never that interested in me until very recently when in her mind ‘i made it’.

yanbu to think this is a strange questioning dynamic or yabu your mother should know these things about you.

OP posts:
Mary46 · 22/09/2025 12:21

Just say oh thats private! My mam would be nosey about hols and how they are funded which I find silly as Im 50. Is it a control thing

Whatareyoutalkingaboutnow · 22/09/2025 12:19

Sometimes the solution is to "fall out" with whoever is pecking your head.
Tell her to mind her own business, your finances are private. She'll probs take the hump, job done.

Mumofsoontobe3 · 22/09/2025 12:11

Don't answer any questions and continue to reiterate you worked hard for what you've got and you will not be sharing your financial information with her.

CountryVic · 22/09/2025 12:07

That’s none of your concern.

Thats my go to when people are pushy / being nosey Parker’s!

Swiftie1878 · 22/09/2025 11:49

Dolphindances · 22/09/2025 11:11

This is the direction i have taken with her so thank you for the validation. She says its ‘my fault’ she continual asks me and acts pretencious because i am so evasive with her.

You don’t even need to be that wordy.
Just, ‘Mum, that’s none of your business and you know it!’ Then move the convo on.

Muffsies · 22/09/2025 11:32

Dolphindances · 22/09/2025 11:18

Yes she is very materialistic
i am not sure as i am no psychiatrist but i know bipolar was suggested by a previous psych, this was changed to a personality issue diagnosis (we were told this by her when were 7/8)

I'm sorry to hear that. A parent with a PD is a very difficult position to be in, she's not going to change and her behaviours can be very destructive and upsetting. It sounds like you have become a focus for some sort of intention of hers and you will have to keep her at arms length and not become entangled. You'll have to find a way to do this that causes as little drama an fall-out on you as possible.

Endofyear · 22/09/2025 11:31

Tell her it's rude to ask about someone's finances and it's not her business. Repeat as many times as necessary. It sounds like you're pretty low contact with her so it won't be that often hopefully!

WatchingTheDetective · 22/09/2025 11:20

Honestly I don't know why you have anything to do with her. She sounds awful. Don't give her any information at all and don't give her a penny either. I really feel for you.

Dolphindances · 22/09/2025 11:18

Muffsies · 22/09/2025 11:14

Is she the sort of person who judges someone's value based on wealth/success? Is she impressed by people with money or jealous?

You're right to be cautious, especially if you suspect she has a personality disorder. People with PDs can cause absolute havoc, and there is no reasoning with them. Out of interest, what PD do you think she has?

Yes she is very materialistic
i am not sure as i am no psychiatrist but i know bipolar was suggested by a previous psych, this was changed to a personality issue diagnosis (we were told this by her when were 7/8)

OP posts:
CanSeeClearlyNowTheRainHasGone · 22/09/2025 11:17

Dolphindances · 22/09/2025 10:56

AIBU to refuse to give my mother any information about my finances. I am a 42 year old professional.

she walked into my new house and first question she asked was how much did this cost then? She then asked how much I got for selling another property. She then continually asked how much my business cost to partner in with. She is now asking if we will send our children to private school and how much this will cost. She asks when my husband is planning to retire as he ‘must have plenty of money now’. She asks how much of our property I own (we are married). She looks up the cost of our holidays and drops it into conversation how much it costs when I know I would never have told her. When I get awkward and do not answer these questions, she tries other family members to get the information. None of which know the answer as no one else has ever asked me or seemed to care.

without a drip feed i barely speak to my mother following years of abuse and neglect as a child, none of my siblings take much to do with her either so these comments are within the short spells of spending anytime / short phone calls with her. I would want no contact in an ideal world but i tried that and she turns up to my house demanding i talk to her which is very upsetting and not worth my mental health. I strongly suspect she has a personality disorder. I worked 3 jobs at times to fund my way through university whilst using all the loans / bursaries i could. I made my way to university aged 18 on a train with a bin liner to hold my things as we could not afford a suitcase. She was never that interested in me until very recently when in her mind ‘i made it’.

yanbu to think this is a strange questioning dynamic or yabu your mother should know these things about you.

You dont seem to have asked her why she wants to know.

If you get an answer, you can decide if you think it's honest, then it might tell you whether there is a reason that makes it legitimate.

If not you can tell her to stop.
Because...
You're my daughter- I'm your daughter regardless, stop asking
I'm worried about you - I'm alright, stop asking
Etc

She might continue being a nosy CF but then you can just tell her to FO with her questions.

Muffsies · 22/09/2025 11:14

Is she the sort of person who judges someone's value based on wealth/success? Is she impressed by people with money or jealous?

You're right to be cautious, especially if you suspect she has a personality disorder. People with PDs can cause absolute havoc, and there is no reasoning with them. Out of interest, what PD do you think she has?

Dolphindances · 22/09/2025 11:11

DavidKeanu · 22/09/2025 11:08

Classic narcissist behaviour. You are now worth something to her because you have money and success. Absolutely despicable. I am so sorry. Just be very blunt, along the lines of "You keep asking about money, and it's not something I am ever going to talk about with you, so let's change the subject" and keep repeating it. If she gets huffy and stops contacting you, it's a win.

This is the direction i have taken with her so thank you for the validation. She says its ‘my fault’ she continual asks me and acts pretencious because i am so evasive with her.

OP posts:
DashboardConfession · 22/09/2025 11:10

She's eventually going to ask you for money. Do not engage! Let her ask family members - no doubt they think she's being weird about your money too.

DavidKeanu · 22/09/2025 11:08

Classic narcissist behaviour. You are now worth something to her because you have money and success. Absolutely despicable. I am so sorry. Just be very blunt, along the lines of "You keep asking about money, and it's not something I am ever going to talk about with you, so let's change the subject" and keep repeating it. If she gets huffy and stops contacting you, it's a win.

Comtesse · 22/09/2025 11:05

She’s a massive CF and very lucky you still even speak to her. You obviously owe her none of this info.

FuzzyWolf · 22/09/2025 11:04

I would say she either is worried you are getting into debt, and feels you should have savings, so wants reassurance that you do and that if you separate you have money in your own right, or she wants you to give her money. Based on the end of your post, it’s probably the latter. I’d ignore her.

Toesy · 22/09/2025 11:02

Talk to the police about her harassment of you.
Send a solicitor letter to never contact you or come near you again.
Involve the police if she does.
Time to shut her permanently down.

RudyRudester · 22/09/2025 10:59

Don't let her in
Don't engage with her
She's massively over stepping so start pushing back