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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for a little contribution towards a household bill?

227 replies

chrismoyles · 24/09/2020 09:45

I'm in a LDR of almost two years. Bf is 8 years younger and lives with his parents, I live with my two kids. I pay all my bills, don't get money from UC as my wage is 'too high' so everything we have, I pay for. I'm not looking for a pity parade as that's fine with me. So when LD bf comes to stay (which is roughly once every 4-6 weeks) he stays about 2 weeks a time. He eats A LOT OF my food (he has problems with an ED which I've posted about before) and when I complain about it he says I'm free to eat whatever I want when I'm at theirs. However I don't feel the need to eat and eat and eat when I'm there like he does at mine as I don't eat a great deal, I have the odd meals and snack at his (we mostly eat out which we generally go halfs on) and I like and respect his parents in that I wouldn't eat a ton of their food, especially food that I know they might be saving for something or as a little treat. He is trying to get help for his ED but sometimes I wonder if he actually believes he has one or if it's just nagging from me that makes him see about it. Either way, covid has sort of put a spanner in the works help wise but I can't help but find it extremely frustrating - he got up last night when I was asleep due to a bad cough and this morning I've found an empty ice cream carton in the bin. Myself and DD had eaten roughly 1/5 of it, he had a massive amount last week and I made a fuss about it being a treat for me and DD (of which he said pitifully, "so am I not allowed to have any?") and now I see that he's polished it off leaving none for me and DD.

He also ate a full watermelon over two days last week while I was in work which was bought for me and DS - we didn't have a morsel of it. I've found myself hiding food meant for the kids otherwise I know he'll eat it and I'll have to buy more and they'll temporarily go without. I've told him this but it's like he can't help himself - he suffers from a form of bulimia. He doesn't seem to see fit to pay me or re-buy these items as he obviously sees me as a free house. He finished off my cheese last week and when I made a massive fuss because I found out it was gone when I was about to put it on DD's pasta he went out to buy some from the local corner shop. This cheese is pretty much almost gone now, not through my or kids doing.
He will buy us takeaways quite often but also expects me to pay for some which is fine however when we do have takeaways/eat out I tend to choose something for say £6/£7 whereas he'll buy multiple items such as three starters and a main) which comes to say £15 so now I've stopped wanting any as I'm fed up of being taken for a ride.

This isn't the crux of my post but I wanted to give some background. So whenever he comes down here I never ask him to contribute to bills because I don't see why he should because he doesn't live here and I don't contribute to any bills when I'm up there however I'm there sometimes 3-4 days every 3 or so months when he's here a lot longer and more often. He's been down for almost a fortnight now and he brought his air con machine as he came down when the hot weather was starting a couple of weeks ago. I knew this would take quite a lot of electric but not as much as I was expecting. I have one of those key meter things for the electric and when I got paid this time last month there was £46 on there which I knew would last me roughly six weeks.

Yesterday morning the electric went out as the money had run out, so I'd used this £46 in a month. I knew this was because of the air con machine as I've not done anything else out of the ordinary. I can give or take being hot or cold but bf seems to have serious issues with being hot. He'll stand outside in the cold or sleep with a fan on him regularly.

So last night after much anticipation I finally asked him if he would be willing to contribute a bit to my electric bill because the air con machine made it go down really quickly. As I said I've not asked him for anything before, he lives with his parents, pays them £250 a month keep and is self employed to the tune of £52k a year. Not that this matters but I'm making a point that he can afford it. His reply was "umm ok" in a very unsure voice. I asked if that was acceptable and I had the same "yeah ok" unsure voice.

I'm at the end of my tether with him tbh. He's becoming more and more selfish and the fact that he doesn't see that I'm not on amazing pay compared to him (I take home roughly £2k a month) and decides to eat all my food and doesn't like the idea of contributing to the bill that he created is just putting nails into the coffin to be honest. He put an online pasta specialist food order onto my card the day after he came down for £26 as his wallet was upstairs (stupid me said it's fine, put it on mine and send me the money back) and despite me reminding him, he hasn't paid me back and I wasn't even fussed for this order and barely ate any of it so it's not even like I was wanting it. If I knew I was going to end up paying for it I'd have said to forget it or to get up and get your wallet. I know I should be more strong when it comes to getting my money back and getting him to pay me back for the outgoings I've mentioned in my post but he already makes fun of me for counting the pennies and keeping a close eye on my budget (I have to or I'll run out of money) that I know it would be the same if I started about this. However from reading back this post it sounds to me like he's the tight one and is taking advantage of my good nature.

He can be generous at times, we went on a massive holiday this time last year and he paid for most of it although he got to choose the hotels etc and the holiday could have been made quite a bit cheaper than it was but he wasn't 'staying in shit cheap hotels'.

Sorry for such a long post, I just wanted to know if I was BU or if he is. And any tips on sorting this out? Thanks.

OP posts:
Cocomarine · 24/09/2020 10:51

@chrismoyles

So I just worked out what he owed me from the pasta, electric and food from asda (£53) and asked him to send it to me. Which he did and then said 'so I take it we are going half's on everything now?' Envy
No, nothing from now on - the £53 was just getting us straight on what you owed me before I ended this.
Mintjulia · 24/09/2020 10:51

He's freeloading and he knows it. My ex is twice my size and used to eat constantly, probably 75% of the food bill was his.

Your boyfriend needs to contribute either by buying the provisions or giving you at least £50 for a two week visit.

Is he really worth the bother?

Chamomileteaplease · 24/09/2020 10:52

The bulimia is another matter but I cannot understand why you wouldn't just ask him to pay for his own food?? He stays for two weeks at a time. I would ask a normal friend to do this. He stays often - it is perfectly reasonable for him to do this. And pay for takeaways etc as you are paying bills.

Re those extra bills, did you say his wallet was upstairs? You are too soft. You should have just let him go upstairs to get it.

You are cross because you are paying for things for him. But you are the only one who can stop! Stop!!

He sounds awful by the way.

fortyfifty · 24/09/2020 10:52

Gosh - it does sound like you are a mother-figure to him. My 17 year old does that thing when shopping - she puts things in the trolley and promises to pay me later, flutters her eyelashes at me and hopes I won't ask her or I will forget.

Cocomarine · 24/09/2020 10:53

The wallet being upstairs comment is so telling. That’s not being out without your cards, fully intending to pay back and forgetting. That’s the action of someone who already knows they don’t want to pay 🤷🏻‍♀️

Tiktaktoe · 24/09/2020 10:54

Is he honestly that thick that he thinks £53 is half of living expenses for 2 weeks? And are you honestly that thick to let him keep living off you to the detriment of your children?

Brighterthansunflowers · 24/09/2020 10:54

He really doesn’t sound amazing, he sounds like a selfish cocklodger

This will only get worse as time goes on and he keeps pushing to find out how much you’ll tolerate.

RomanyBlood · 24/09/2020 10:54

He has no idea if the actual costs of running a household because he pays a flat token rate that bears no relation to the actual expense.

You need to be very direct with him.

Tell him that you are asking not because you resent him being in your home but because you simply cannot afford it. Fact.

Point out the comparison between your income.

Then show him your total monthly expenditure (and include a contribution to an emergency fund / annual expenses such as boiler and car service, Xmas etc).

And compare that with his monthly expenditure.

I would suggest he needs to pay for more than half the groceries when he comes for 2 weeks and puts money on the meter. A proper weekly supermarket shop, not nipping time the corner shop for one block of cheese.

But. Is he worth it long term? With his infantilised life and failure to address issues which impact on you? If he cares about you he should want to enrich your life and have your interests at heart. He isn’t demonstrating that.

chrismoyles · 24/09/2020 10:55

I told him that the pasta would have been paid for by him if his wallet wasn't upstairs and that I had said he can send me the money back. And that I'd told him I wasn't paying for his expensive stuff from asda and that my electric would have lasted two weeks longer if it wasn't for that air con machine. His response, again - 'so half's then?' I've got a good mind to ask if he's going to pay for half my bills Grin

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 24/09/2020 10:57

Shop daily when he stays, yes it means going to shop every day but stops him eating all the food - as there isn't any

Cocomarine · 24/09/2020 10:57

Whilst you’re deciding whether or not to dump him, keep in mind that he’s just shown you that he can’t even give you £53 that he owes you, without making a nasty dig about it.

That’s really what you want from someone who is supposed to love you?

My boyfriend would have said, “oh shit - I should have transferred that before, sorry you had to ask - are you sure it’s enough? Anyway, I’ve rounded it to £60 just in case.”

RhymesWithOrange · 24/09/2020 10:57

He doesn't sound nice. Surely you can do better?

AdoreTheBeach · 24/09/2020 10:58

I really think he doesn’t get it. He first really know all the costs you have not only in relation to your food and electricity costs, but he don’t have an idea if all your other living costs as he doesn’t have them.

Lots of good advice on here. One being about having him buy his own food Also marking the kids food. There can be no misunderstanding with that

I’d suggest you make a shopping list with exactly what you need for the kids food and snacks. You’ll then have an idea if cost. Bring the cash with you

Anything rude, he has to pay because you actually won’t have the money

Advise him in advance that you have to budget and so are only bringing the money for what you are budgeted to spend - and that he’ll need to bring his own money/card.

The same goes for ordering take away. You tell him you’re budgeting and you have x amount for take away. Anything else, he has to pay

So not offer your card for anything else. If he’s downstairs and his card upstairs, he can go upstairs and get it. There’s no rush when you’re ordering on line.

With the electricity, you tell him you know x amount in the card lasts x amount of time. This is what you’ve budgeted for and his item can’t be accommodated in your budget. If he’s taking something with him to your house that uses up electricity as a faster rate, you tell him he’ll need to go out more money in your electricity card. If it runs out, tell him to top it up.

Be firm
Once he is living in his own, he’ll have some idea but not really as much as what you go through because he still won’t have the understanding of your salary and the costs of your kids. You need to illustrate it through your budgeting costs

willowmelangell · 24/09/2020 10:59

Text him you need the aircon money, the pasta money and the food shop money. You need it today.

He eats your dc food and snacks. Awful.
I think it might be worth a few minutes to pack the dc snacks into a labelled container.
Before you go shopping together, make sure you ask if he has his card on him. If he says, 'It's upstairs.' reply, "I'll wait." Don't move unless he has with him. When you get a shopping trolley, put a basket in for his snacks and extras. You have to say out loud, "The basket is for your things, I am not paying for them."

Please tell me you won't consider him moving in?

DustyLoafer · 24/09/2020 10:59

OP can't you see the benefits of cutting this selfish tightarse loose?

He must be amazing in bed.

BletheringHeights · 24/09/2020 10:59

I would say 'this isn't going halves by ANY MEANS! It's a small contribution! You really have no idea of the running costs of a house and family do you?!'

Tbh then I'd end it as unless the shaggin is amaaaaaazin, you surely have no time for this shit in your life?

Tempusfudgeit · 24/09/2020 11:00

Oh, OP raise your standards!

Whererainfalls · 24/09/2020 11:00

Oh just get rid of him. He sounds awful, and a bit thick to boot.

Thecobwebsarewinning · 24/09/2020 11:01

You sound incredibly controlling and he sounds childish and selfish. Whatever the rights and wrongs of it are it is clear you aren’t suited. Why are you persisting with this relationship when it’s clear you don’t respect him? End it now and free yourself to find someone who shares your values.

Cocomarine · 24/09/2020 11:01

I cannot believe that people are suggesting that you show him your budget, or take cash when shopping with him Confused

He is not your child!!!!

If he genuinely was clueless about costs, then he’d be giving OP £50 willingly, without being asked, when the cost was actually £100.

That’s not what is happening here. He has been told how much he owes, and has deliberately avoided paying in the first place, and then made mean comments to put OP in her place when she asks for it.

Please stop suggesting how OP can “fix” him. Just get one of the unbroken ones in the first place! There are decent men out there.

Angelina82 · 24/09/2020 11:01

He earns 52k a year and only gives his parents £250 per month! He sounds like a mean, selfish manchild. And a decent man would at the very least be paying for all the groceries/takeaways during their long holiday at the girlfriends, without needing to be asked. Your fella’s behaviour would knock me sick. 🤢

dairymilklover · 24/09/2020 11:02

I don't understand why you - an adult woman with two kids- would want to have a third child in the form of this man. Surely you must find it frustrating to be around an overgrown teenager all the time who lives with his parents? Confused

Zucker · 24/09/2020 11:02

Him looking for a house is going to end up with him moving in with you to tide him over as he won't be able to find anywhere. Pandemic dontcha know.

Please if not for yourself, dump him so that no children are exposed to him.

willowmelangell · 24/09/2020 11:02

cross post!

chrismoyles · 24/09/2020 11:03

@Zucker

Him looking for a house is going to end up with him moving in with you to tide him over as he won't be able to find anywhere. Pandemic dontcha know. Please if not for yourself, dump him so that no children are exposed to him.
Don't worry there is no way in hell he is moving into my house!
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