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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be cross about DH's constant excessive spending?

59 replies

BellaBahBooBoo · 12/05/2012 17:15

Am I being unreasonable to be cross and upset about this?

About 3 years ago my DH ran up a large amount of credit card debt, it was around 5k. The minimum payments were taking us into our overdraft every month and so we were in debt with that too. We ended up doing a consolidation loan through our bank and have got sorted and been ok financially since then.

Then a few month ago a credit card statement came addressed to DH which I opened and saw he had run up yet another credit card debt, this time of around £2k. He has always been very vague about it and has never as such told me how it was run up, although he is happy enough every month to have the minimum payment for it coming out of our joint account! He has an expensive hobby so I'm assuming he ran the bill up paying for equipment for it and doing the hobby itself.

Everything has been fine since then financially, however I have just this moment looked at our online banking and seen that the past month he has been taking up to £50 out in cash from our bank account every 4 or 5 days. He has also transferred money over from our savings account to the current account, without telling me, presumably so I won't notice the shortfall of money, although our account is far lower than I would expect it to be at this time of the month, as we still have just under 2 weeks to go until DH's payday. He is currently away with work and won't be back until Tuesday so I can't discuss it with him until then. I then checked our account out of which all our bills come (mortgage, insurances, that kind of thing) as we have a standing order going in to there once a month to keep it all separate and organised and that is overdrawn to the max, so he has been dipping into there too.

I really don't feel like he's doing anything sinister with the money, I think he is just bad with money, but he'll never discuss it with me. He seems to take care of his needs first, ie buying anything he wants, before considering if there is enough left for our DCs and I. He also won't budget or compromise, for example he won't take a packed lunch to work when he's not working away and will spend up to £10 on lunch per day. He has a rather expensive hobby as I mentioned before, very much a keeping up with the Jones' type hobby. If he wants something he buys it.

I am the opposite and am careful with money, but then I feel I get walked over and go without. I am a SAHM as our youngest child is 2, but I have my own account into which maintenance for my eldest child and child benefit is paid and I use this for all child related expenses and I still have managed to save a fair bit of money in it over the past 2 years. The only thing is, he thinks he can spend whatever we have in the joint account as he pleases and then starts wanting to spend the money I've saved up, which thankfully he has no access to.

I just do not know what to do about his spending. He won't rein himself in. I am planning on going back to work at some point in the next couple of years, it's very difficult though as DH works away a lot and works long hours, and I wouldn't earn enough to cover childcare for all our DCs if I worked now. I would like a bit of financial independence though. He doesn't restrict my spending but I just would not spend money that isn't there, I'm not like that and I prefer to save for things but he will never save for things he just buys them. If we save, he finds a use for the money whenever we have £1k or so built up in there. And if I get any money for myself, for example for Christmas, he tries to get me to spend it on things we need rather than on myself.

OP posts:
balia · 12/05/2012 17:30

I would be absolutely fuming, and sorry, being 'bad with money' would not even begin to excuse this deceitful, selfish, entitled behaviour.

And why, exactly, should your earnings have to cover all the childcare costs? Is that not his responsibility too?

I would also not be enormously impressed if I was the father of your eldest, and found out that the maintenance I was paying for my child was being used to subsidise the costs of raising someone else's child.

You are married to this wanker person, so his debt is your debt. It is completely unacceptable to refuse to discuss this issue and it sounds like financial abuse to me.

BellaBahBooBoo · 12/05/2012 17:44

Thank you balia

Just to clarify though, my eldest has the full amount of maintenance spent on her per month, and very often more. My parents buy the DCs all their clothes and shoes so I don't have that expense.

OP posts:
Downandoutnumbered · 12/05/2012 18:01

But why should your parents pay for clothes and shoes for your DC? You might be better off if you divorced: at least in theory you'd be entitled to maintenance for the children, and probably for yourself as well, at least for a period.

fuzzpig · 12/05/2012 18:03

That's good that your parents are helping and that you get maintenance for the eldest, but it is not the point at all... your H is as bella says a selfish entitled wanker.

Somebody who is selfish with money is often selfish in other ways too...

fuzzpig · 12/05/2012 18:03

(sorry, balia not bella)

rhondajean · 12/05/2012 18:07

Is he gambling?

BlackholesAndRevelations · 12/05/2012 18:12

What kind of partnership is this, when he spends all YOUR joint family's money, and doesn't even have the good grace to tell you? I'm horrified... You have to sort this out with him. Could you limit his access to the accounts somehow? Will he admit he's in the wrong?

DPrince · 12/05/2012 18:14

Your h is happy for your parents to pay for all your kids clothes while he pisses money away. Sorry to be harsh, but he is well out of order, entitled and selfish.

TwllBach · 12/05/2012 18:18

Even if he wasn't being selfish, being that 'bad' with finances would be a dealbreaker for me.

marriedinwhite · 12/05/2012 18:21

£10 on lunch a day Shock. My DH buys a meal deal from Tescos and works in central London. Why isn't he budgeting? Is this sustainable in the longer term?

severnofnine · 12/05/2012 18:23

You are not alone.

Couldnt pay for shopping today- card was declined. DS2 was really upset because it included stuff for his birthday party next week. :( DH went to the pub last night and got fish and chips for himself earlier in the week because he didnt like what I had made for tea..... so that is why our joint account is haemorrhaging (sp) money then

He refuses to take a packed lunch to work... spends £5-10/day instead..... and yet cant see how it adds up.

The positive in my situation is that i work so I'm going to set up an account on monday to have MY pay put into. The only thing i worry about is that the mortgage etc is going to bounce.

You're doing the complete right thing keeping your saving separate- well done you

marriedinwhite · 12/05/2012 18:28

We have never had a joint account. DH pays the bills. He gives me "housekeeping for food and house things". I work full time.

I feel extravagant because I don't take sandwiches for work and will spend £2.50 in the canteen. Sometimes I treat myself to a coffee for £1 rather than making one in the kitchenette next to the office.
£
What sort of budgets are you living on if your dh's can spent £5-£10 on lunch?

PullUpAPew · 12/05/2012 18:29

I'd leave someone who did that to me, these are large sums of money and he has done it plenty of times now. I am sick of reading that basically because someone is a SAHM they get no say and their husbands spend money how they wish.

YANBU to be pissed off, YABU to keep putting up with it.

marriedinwhite · 12/05/2012 18:30

I am in total shock.

PullUpAPew · 12/05/2012 18:31

I'd also want to know what he is spending it on, because that kind of cash can, not always but can, mean gambling/prostitutes/drinking/drugs.

duckdodgers · 12/05/2012 18:31

I think he is just bad with money, but he'll never discuss it with me. He seems to take care of his needs first, ie buying anything he wants, before considering if there is enough left for our DCs and I

I really do think you need to wake up and think about your life - seriously. This man isn't bad with money - hes spending what he likes when he likes with no thought for his family as you said...this is not "bad with money", its downright selfish.

needsomesunshine · 12/05/2012 18:33

My dh is like this & ran up £6 on a card, has a ccj & 3 students loans to pay off from when he kept going off to find himself HmmWe have been together since young & I feel like we have had to mature together. I have learnt not to rely on him which has made me a better person. I work & have my own bank account for my wages, another for cb, tax credit etc & a long term savings ac for ds'. He has a set amount that goes into the joint ac for bills which he is not allowed to withdraw from, he knows If he did we would not have enough for bills.
What your dh is doing is disrespectful & makes you anxious. What if he lost his job or got ill God forbid? Sounds like you'll have to be the financial grown up & keep your money separate. Works for me.

duckdodgers · 12/05/2012 18:34

severn why do you put up with a relationship like this, same as OP? Im never ceased to be amazed by what people have to endure. Well yes setting up your own account is all very wise etc - but why stay with a man you have to do this with? Thats not a relationship, a true partnership! There are 4 forms of domestic abuse -[ physical, emotional, sexual and financial.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 12/05/2012 18:36

He is not 'bad with money', he is a selfish git.

My DH takes a packed lunch to work 4 days a week, the other he goes out with colleagues and that day often costs around £10. We are on a good income but could not sustain him spending £50 a week just on his lunches!

rhondajean · 12/05/2012 18:40

Sorry was in a rush earlier...

If he is spending so much money and op cant see what it's going on, and it's coming out bank every few days, I think he could be gambling with it.

It's only one possibility, doesn't make it any better, but does open up a whole new set of issues around it?

severnofnine · 12/05/2012 18:43

(dont want to derail thread OP!)

I think the problem is that this is TRUELY the only problem in our relationship.

We'll talk about it tonight. he will say its "fine i'll sort it out". I will tell him that its not on.... and try and explain AGAIN how humiliating it is to have your card declined especially when out with the children. And how anxious it is making me every time i pay for anything..... and how i'll have to go back to checking the bank balence all the time.

He will then go off in a strop.

In other ways it is a partnership.; he is a great dad.

anyway OP I dont know what to suggest but i do think its a really positive thing that you are able to save some money up

needsomesunshine · 12/05/2012 18:47

You don't always have to "leave them". My dh was willing to change & we are making steps to get out of the situation. You need to talk about why he feels the need to spend like that. Mine had & still has issues about keeping up with the jones'. I blame the MIL but as he gets older(maturing) he's getting better.you need to talk honestly & openly. If he's not willing to that's different.

severnofnine · 12/05/2012 18:49

I'd always hoped we could manage just having one "pot" of money...... seems a bit crap to have to work out who pays for which meal or when the boiler breaks.

Will have to start protecting myself a bit i think

DPrince · 12/05/2012 18:49

Personally I don't think its a good thing if you have to lock money away so your dh doesn't know or can't get to it. I agree with pp. You need to demand to know what its being spent on. My dh owns a business, its doing really well. He told me not to contribute to the bills as he has more than enough. Great. But if either of us were spending like no tomorrow when we need to budget, the other would demand to know what's going on. Even now we both have access to each others and if i saw him spending what your dh is spending i would be concerned, especially as there is no explanation.

AnyFucker · 12/05/2012 18:51

this fucker spends family money on himself while the inlaws clothe and shoe the children ?

and you would stay with him ?

you would be better by yourself, at least you are not likely to lose the roof over your children's head because of this fuckwit

he's had chances before and thrown them away

fgs...throw him and extricate yourself financially before he ruins you all