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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell my dad its like hes stealing from me!

124 replies

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 18:51

So basically dad lives with me in my house. He contributes to the mortgage and household bills (just in case thats relevant)

I have a savings account. In it goes the hit and miss CSA money I receive from DS2s dad. The idea with this account is that because its not guaranteed every month, I am trying not to depend on it for day to day expenses, and instead amd trying to save it up it to fund repairs that need doing around the house which is falling down around my ears. I was planning to save it up until Feb, which would then give me enough money to fix the hole in the roof. My dad knows this.

The card is kept in the safe upstairs because again if Ive easy access to it Im more likely to spend it.

3 weeks ago, dad was paid £300 via a cheque and asked me to change it for him. I was at work so told him to just grab the card, bank the chq withdraw the cash from the cashpoint, and put the card back.

Last Friday I noticed on online banking that the account was £300 less than I thought it should be. At first I though that the cheque banked for dad had bounced, but upon checking £300 cash had been withdrawn. Turns out dad had withdrawn the money to pay his blokes because hed got cashflow problems. He also reckoned that because theyd been doing stuff up here he was OK to take the money out. I was pissed off because hed done it without asking, but conceeded that as they had been working up on the stable yard I would cover the wages. I told him not to take money out of the account without speaking to me first because it wasnt OK.

So tonight I have again logged on to internet banking and discovered that yet again he has taken £230 out of the account in the last 3 days. Ive just yelled at him over the phone hes out and asked him what hes doing. His answer is that hed got no money in his account so he borrowed it, and was going to put it back when he collected some money from a job hes finished. It his head this makes it OK.

Dad is quite emotionally manipultive (I think unintentionally) and ive always been his support, and i struggle to stand up / go against him. Unfortunately my counselling has helped me see this but not yet got me into a position when Im able to do something about it.

Hes carrying the card around in his wallet, and I am fuming, absolutely fuming, I feel like hes stealing from me. I would never dream of just going into his wallet and helping myself to his money not matter how desperate I was without mentioning it first. I dont know how to explain to him that whats hes doing is just shit and wrong and to get him to listen and understand.

Even more annoying is mum told me this would happen, so I cant ask her for advice because shell just be pissed off with my dads shitness with money.

So WIBU to tell use the phrase stealing when I try and speak to him rationally later? If so, can anyone think of a better phrase I can use?

OP posts:
DontmindifIdo · 10/11/2012 21:16

It's not "like he's stealing from you" he is stealing from you.

Cancel the card right now. Tell him if he is getting paid on Monday you want the money back by Tuesday at the latest.

Then tell him you don't think it's working him living with you, you no longer trust him and would like him to leave. Lots of DC's father figure is a grandfather or uncle who doesn't live in the house. You need to limit his ability to take the piss.

Stealing from your own child is very, very low. As is that as it's CSA money he's stolen, he's actually stolen from his DGC.

If you need the help with the mortgage and bills, get a lodger.

LemonBreeland · 10/11/2012 21:16

Cancel the card as soon as you can and tell him you want the money back or he is out on his ear.

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 21:16

Ive cancelled the card anyway now on the 24 hour number line thing. They are sending a new one out, and I might just ask my mum to hold onto it and tell her I lost it.

The only other thing which Im pondering is if I transfer it to an account without a card but a passbook which you have to go in for, you know the old style post office books. Can you even get those anymore? Because that way at least it has to be me that goes to get the money.

OP posts:
DontmindifIdo · 10/11/2012 21:19

Just seen your next message - you need to get this man out of your life. If you can get your money back first, then great. If he doesn't give you the money by Tuesday you really know he does'nt actully care, he does'nt actually think you have a right to security, he does'nt think it matters that he's making his DGC's lives worse.

Now you need to toughen up and cut him out, or at least throw him out, let me put it this way, this man is stealing from your DCs, who are more important, them or him? He's making their lives worse to make his better. Get him out.

Rosa · 10/11/2012 21:21

Hope the card has been cancelled. Make a list of the money he has 'borrowed' off you and then ask him to pay it back at an amount a month. You can but try. Itsyour money and you want to use it to benefit you and your family/ house or whatever. Say you have closed the account or even close it and open another he does not know about ..don't give up on it its yours and even if an argument starts you should fight your corner... He will ony do it a gain. Once a thief etc etec

HecatePropylaea · 10/11/2012 21:21

Just don't tell him your pin.

He can't use the new card without the pin.

And you're going to have to find a way to deal with him.

What's the worst that can happen if you stand up to him? Will he beat you up? Bury you under the patio? Grin

No. He'll kick off.

At which point you kick him out of your house.

you have power in this situation. Use it.

Is the counselling you are having CBT? If not - get that! It is the best for reprogramming how you think so that you can deal with things you haven't been able to deal with. Because that's what you need to do - change the way you think.

DontmindifIdo · 10/11/2012 21:21

You shouldn't have to hide your own cash card in your own home to stop your dad stealing your money. He has no right to make you live like that. Get him out. I'd tell him to not bother coming back tonight and to collect his stuff in the morning.

As for your brother, do all the men in yoru family treat you like the family bank to financial support them? Why do you let them?

picnicbasketcase · 10/11/2012 21:21

Some building societies still have passbooks instead of cards, the West Bromwich savings account just has a book.

whatsforyou · 10/11/2012 21:22

Magic, I have a healthy relationship with my dad now but it's taken a long time. I don't like a lot of his behaviour but I do love him. I have had to be so blunt with him and it was and still can be so hard but because I made it clear that I would not tolerate some things it is easier to stick to it now.
We by no means have a perfect relationship but he is still a big part of my life and grandchildren's life and if I hadn't faced up to the issues then he wouldn't be. I really wish you luck and hope it works out for you :-)

Bogeyface · 10/11/2012 21:22

Sorry, could you explain more about your brothers situation?

He persuaded you to put some of your money into DBs house because DB wasnt paying the mortgage?

You need to get out of this terribly unhealthy and ABUSIVE situation.

YOU ARE A VICTIM OF ABUSE!! THERE IS A REASON YOUR MOTHER LEFT HIM, DONT BE HIS NEXT VICTIM.

I am sorry, I know he is your father and you love him, but that doesnt make what he is doing OK!

Cynner · 10/11/2012 21:23

You feel like shit because your parent is stealing from you. Our parents are supposed to love and care for us. Your father is unable to be a parent in the proper sense. I'm sure that does not make you feel safe and secure at all.
He does need to leave. He is taking money from you and your child.

WhereYouLeftIt · 10/11/2012 21:26

So your father regularly stiffs you for money, and so does your brother; and they manipulate you into feeling bad and writing it off, ready for them to do it all over again.

Yes, you are too soft. You cannot afford these men, I do think you need to tell your dad to move out. Get a lodger/flatmate instead. And as for all that " he asks me and tells me he cant get around because he has no fuel, or he cant afford to eat, or he cant pay ... " etc. etc. - that'd his problem, not yours. He's an adult and needs to take responsibility for his own finances and stop sponging off his grandchildren daughter.

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 21:30

Roughly? To be honest I dont even want to think about it.

In the last 3 months he has had

£230 this week
£300 last week of which hes repaid £100
£150 for car repairs
£70 from DS bday money which I ended up replacing
£400 owing from last months bill / mortgage contribution

My elder brother is an entitled fuck. We dont see each other much any more unless he wants something

Hectate No im just currently on bog standard counselling. CBT is something thats been mentioned but theres some sort of massive waiting list at the moment but my name is on that list.

See I dont know why I put up with so much from him. Well I do, its because my mum walked out 15 years ago just after his sister died he had a breakdown and I felt obliged to look after him (and my younger bro). Ive felt obliged to look after him ever since. Ive got more resentful of it as times gone on, because I feel he actively does stuff to make life harder IYSWIM?

OP posts:
boodles · 10/11/2012 21:33

Your Dad is supposed to look after YOU not the other way round. You owe him nothing.

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 21:35

My DB has / had an expensive wife. He set up a business, he got into debt, he got into big debt. He got suicidal. He then got in a mess. My dad and DBs mum (from dads 1st marriage) persuaded me to let DB take out a loan secured on my house which he was supposed to use to pay off his creditors. Fuck only knows what he did with the money, but he didnt pay off his creditors, and he defaulted on the massive sum of money I effectively lent him. because I am idiot. He then fucked up some more got in more debt and his mum asked me to sell my field to loan him more money I had a thread about it

OP posts:
YourHandInMyHand · 10/11/2012 21:37

OMG all that money in the last month! Shock Angry That money could no doubt have gone on bills, xmas, the house that's in dire need of repair. You need to get angry Magic, this is really appalling!

I can see why your mum's flashpoint over him is money! Hmm

Tell him you need all the money he owes. If he doesn't pay up ask him to leave. You can still support him, have him round for tea, the kids can still see him, etc.

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 21:37

See im all indignant about it here, but the second I have to raise it with him, I just end up feeling bad. I dont even know how it happens really, and if I say that its ended up with me feeling bad, then hell say i twisting it. I just dont get it.

Im at the point where I feel like I should move out and just let him keep the house. This house was where he lived with mum before they split. I brought both of them out.

OP posts:
WhereYouLeftIt · 10/11/2012 21:38

It's not too hard to see why your mum left him, is it? Sorry, but you need to follow her example; he's not going to change and you cannot afford this. He is not your responsibility, although he has manipulated you into taking responsibility for him and his fecklessness.

HecatePropylaea · 10/11/2012 21:38

He's not going to stop until he bleeds you dry. When you lose your home, and you've got nothing - is he going to support you?

No.

didn't think so.

You are being financially abused and you have got to find a way to stop it. Before you have nothing left.

You are their cash cow.

People who love you don't treat you like that.

And why would you allow people who don't love you to treat you like that?

YourHandInMyHand · 10/11/2012 21:38

So as well as bank rolling your dad you are also conditioned to bail out your feckless brother too? Shock

Sad Who is looking out for you and your dcs financially? You deserve better than all this I feel so sad and angry for you.

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 21:39

yourhand to be fair this isnt an average month, as normally I wouldnt have the money to lend him as I usually have none left myself.

Its this CSA money you see, because I know XP will dick about with it if possible because he begrudges it to me, I thought if I could save it it would be better, ive only had some in Sept & Oct, so its that that dads "borrowed".

Normally there wouldnt be anything to give him, so its not normally such high numbers!

OP posts:
WhereYouLeftIt · 10/11/2012 21:42

But when you do have money, he takes it ASAP ... Sad

HecatePropylaea · 10/11/2012 21:43

How did he know that you had extra money?

MagicLlama · 10/11/2012 21:44

I know, I know. Its just .. hes my dad, and I dont know.

Weve had massive rows and ive said we cant live with each other because its affecting our relationship and hell say hell move out, but then hell tell DS2 (who adores him) and DS2 will get upset and dads there saying its OK hell live in the caravan and still see lots of him, and everyone is crying and bollocks im just manipulated into backing down. Ive even been known to apologise for upsetting him

To be honest its pointless. I know what I need to do. I know hes behaving like a jerk. But he does have lots of good points too, which Im not putting over here, and I just dont know. Hes got noone but me and the kids.

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 10/11/2012 21:46

So you are currently paying the mortgage that your brother took out on your property?

Sheesh.

Forget savings, use the CSA money to pay for private CBT, that is an urgent need.