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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Husband resents me for debt

999 replies

wishes1111 · 02/02/2021 14:35

Hello

I'll try and explain as briefly as possible.

I was raised by my grandparents and lost them both within 3 years or each other to cancer (in their 60s). I've also had 6 miscarriages during and since.

I have been on antidepressants since age 14 and have a history of anxiety too.

My coping mechanism was to spend, I took loans out, ordered clothes, things I didn't need and racked up nearly £8000 in debt, exchanging my utter sadness and despair for temporary happiness.

After 2 years of paying the minimum payments, I realised I couldn't hide it anymore, interest was rising and I was struggling to cope and was losing the battle of keeping my head above water.

I earn £24,000 a year, my husband earns £40,000.

I admitted it all during a breakdown, he was angry and sad that I'd done this and especially since I'd hid it from him. I fully understood this and took responsibility for my actions. I entered a payment plan with stepchange and have kept up with payments over the past couple of years and it's slowly but surely reducing. I'm paying this myself, as well as £550 for my half of rent and £30 for my phone. The rest, I use for birthday presents, diesel, car insurance and tax and I'm left with little per month. I've also cleared my overdraft in this time.

I have taken no further loans out since entering my plan with stepchange.

My problem is, my Husband resents me for this. He is a saver, he won't spend unless he has to and he saves what he can (which is a good thing). I've tried my hardest to turn my life around and take responsibility.

He said he will resent me until it's all paid off which will be another couple of years. Some days he is lovely, others it's like he's punishing me for my mistakes. Digs here and there, cold towards me, brings up what I did.

I can't even explain how much I regret doing this but I can't live like this. If I have £10 left for the last week of the month and I need to get something such as tampons or some lunch stuff for work , he tells me to sort it out myself. I understand I'm not his responsibility but this is wearing me down.

He has more than enough in savings to clear my debt. I don't expect him to do that but know in a heartbeat I would do it for him if I knew it was weighing on his shoulders, adding anxiety to his life and and he'd made an effort to change.

I feel I can't go on this way, but when he's in a nice mood I love him so much, when he's in his resentful mood he makes me feel low and like he'll never move past it.

I'm waffling, I don't expect people to think he's in the wrong, I get it.

I guess I'm just hoping for a hand hold whilst suffering my latest miscarriage, dealing with a resentful husband and trying my hardest to not fall back into a deep depression x

OP posts:
Authenticcelestialmusic · 02/02/2021 16:34

Personally we don’t split according to income we have joint accounts. However if I chose to split this way I’m not sure how fair your set up is.
At first glance him paying 60% of the rent seems correct as a household split. I am wondering if it works out 60/40 over everything?

He pays;
Gas/electric say £120
Sky presume internet 30. Sky sports or film may be a luxury that only one of the wants so is it a personal spend?
Water £40
Tv licence 13
60% rent

Op pays:
Council tax I think you said £170
Food £400? More with little top up shops? Does this cover alcohol?
Household products? Wash powder, shampoo etc?
40% of rent
Dog food and insurance.

I just wonder if you add it all up, over 12 months, whether you pay 40% of the bills?

You mention a car and said you pay for fuel . Do you have one each or do you share? Who pays insurance, mot, tax, fuel if you share?
Who pays for Vets bills? Household items?
I’d definitely prefer to pay the fixed cost bills. Food is so variable and one may prefer more expensive items.

I do think a lot of women take on the food shop (which is often the largest household bill especially when kids come along and a bit of clothing or birthday gifts etc are popped into the trolley) and the husband pays the fixed mortgage or rent (easier for budgeting). I Also believe some people underestimate their food expenditure by a fair bit.

LouHotel · 02/02/2021 16:35

@Bluntness100 you've missed that she pays council tax at 170, per insurance and food and foot for the house which for two adults is most likely £200.

So she's probably paying the debt back at 300 to 400 which sound about right if it will be done in two years.

THisbackwithavengeance · 02/02/2021 16:36

I can understand him feeling pissed off and resentful. Fair enough.

However to demand that you pay half of all outgoings when he earns a lot more is unfair and to leave you short of things likes tampons is cruel.

What's the point of being married to him?

If you have DCs, who's going to pay for them if you stop work or go part time?

OhCaptain · 02/02/2021 16:36

@Bluntness100 I don't know where you're getting your info because it's not from the OP.

WagnerTheWehrWolf · 02/02/2021 16:37

I've noticed that you get posters, on this thread and others, that like to rewrite the OP's story to make it much more dramatic and damning. So they can berate the OP some more.

Sad behaviour.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 02/02/2021 16:38

I’d have left so kudos to him for staying. The trust would have been gone for me and I wouldn’t have used my savings or picked up more bills as otherwise no lessons would be learnt if bailed out.

Smallgoon · 02/02/2021 16:40

He should be supporting his wife. Full stop. Even if he didn't want to pay off her debt, he could agree to pay the whole thing off, and then have OP pay him in monthly installments instead, meaning she/they were not having to pay exorbitant interest. He could also take on more of the household costs (as a higher earner) whilst OP pays this back - that's what a supporting partner would do.

unmarkedbythat · 02/02/2021 16:40

I couldn't be with someone who saw tampons, fucking tampons as a personal, optional expense rather than a basic necessity along the lines of loo paper and soap.

Having read this thread right through again I would rather be impoverished in a shitty mould ridden flat again than in a nice house but stuck living with some of you.

NatureNeverRushes · 02/02/2021 16:40

You did something wrong, then you came clean, took responsibility and are making changes for the better.

If he can't forgive you, this would make me resent him. His behaviour is abusive.

I would consider whether I would be better off without him

Smallgoon · 02/02/2021 16:41

*supportive

Smallgoon · 02/02/2021 16:41

@unmarkedbythat

I couldn't be with someone who saw tampons, fucking tampons as a personal, optional expense rather than a basic necessity along the lines of loo paper and soap.

Having read this thread right through again I would rather be impoverished in a shitty mould ridden flat again than in a nice house but stuck living with some of you.

Hear, hear.
SurvivalIsInsufficient · 02/02/2021 16:41

I've noticed that you get posters, on this thread and others, that like to rewrite the OP's story to make it much more dramatic and damning. So they can berate the OP some more

I notice you get posters that like to rewrite it so that the woman is always the victim and the man always firmly in the wrong, no matter what.

I think this man sounds like an arse, but pretending like OP did nothing wrong is not helpful, and making out its all his fault that she lied to him for years and expects him to bail her out is completely unfair.

WagnerTheWehrWolf · 02/02/2021 16:43

I think this man sounds like an arse, but pretending like OP did nothing wrong is not helpful, and making out its all his fault that she lied to him for years and expects him to bail her out is completely unfair.

Obviously.

Lochabernomore · 02/02/2021 16:43

I haven't RTFT but I think I'd struggle to forgive you too. Sorry, just another opinion. I'm a saver and if my DH got into an awful lot of debt I'd not be sure I could forgive him and move on.

WagnerTheWehrWolf · 02/02/2021 16:45

@Lochabernomore, would you stay with him and resent him or would you tell him the trust was gone and the relationship was over?

No one gains by choosing the first option.

Themostwonderfultimeoftheyear · 02/02/2021 16:45

I was in your DH's shoes and decided to stay. I do make sure that I can see DH's account and credit report regularly to build trust back up but I don't resent him. If your DH can't let go of the resentment he needs to leave as the way he is treating you isn't ok.

Bluntness100 · 02/02/2021 16:45

[quote LouHotel]@Bluntness100 you've missed that she pays council tax at 170, per insurance and food and foot for the house which for two adults is most likely £200.

So she's probably paying the debt back at 300 to 400 which sound about right if it will be done in two years.[/quote]
Ah ok

But she’s been paying back for two years, and has another two to go. That’s not eight k debt, that’s my point. Even at 350 it’s double that.

notdaddycool · 02/02/2021 16:45

That you couldn't tell him how you felt which led you to debt says as much as that he doesn't want to bail you out. He doesn't sound like a kind man. In fact it sounds almost Victorian.

BeakyWinder · 02/02/2021 16:47

He doesn't sound the type to want to contribute fairly to childcare costs if you do have children in future. If your earnings drop on mat leave will he resent that too? And baby clothes, pram, nursery fees?

You've been berated enough by him and pp about the debt and lies, but I'd be wary of the above too.

Hagotcha80 · 02/02/2021 16:47

I guess I'm just hoping for a hand hold whilst suffering my latest miscarriage, dealing with a resentful husband and trying my hardest to not fall back into a deep depression x

This hand hold shouldn’t be coming from an anonymous group on an Internet forum.
It should be coming from your husband

TatianaBis · 02/02/2021 16:47

@WagnerTheWehrWolf

I think this man sounds like an arse, but pretending like OP did nothing wrong is not helpful, and making out its all his fault that she lied to him for years and expects him to bail her out is completely unfair.

Obviously.

No-one is saying OP did nothing wrong least of all her. No-one is saying that it’s his fault or that he should bail her out. They are saying he’s being an arse over it, because he is.
Bluntness100 · 02/02/2021 16:48

8k over four years via step change is about. 160 quid a month,

The numbers don’t make sense. Either the op has a much higher debt that is written here or she has more disposable income than 30 pounds a month.

unmarkedbythat · 02/02/2021 16:49

@Lochabernomore

I haven't RTFT but I think I'd struggle to forgive you too. Sorry, just another opinion. I'm a saver and if my DH got into an awful lot of debt I'd not be sure I could forgive him and move on.
Which is absolutely valid. But I bet you wouldn't stay with him and punish him, would you? You'd leave?
TheSparkleJar · 02/02/2021 16:50

I think he’s entirely within his right to resent you. You’re lucky he’s stayed with you tbh. I don’t think many women on here would stay with their husbands if the roles were reversed.

"First post = troll post" tradition is alive and well then.

Short response to your comment - bollocks.

Any spouse who can't understand someone needing an outlet after that kind of grief, and who takes every opportunity to snipe at them and belittle them when they've made every effort to fix it, is a very poor excuse for a partner. I don't think she is lucky. He might do her the biggest favour to leave.

wishes - keep working on clearing the debt, keep taking note of who you are married to - maybe keep a diary of the things he says to you, and perhaps once the debt is paid off you can think about an entirely fresh start. You clearly don't have much basis for comparison where relationships are concerned. The way he is treating you is not right. It would be understandable if you were getting into more debt, or not keeping up with payments, but it was a past mistake you are correcting. To keep jabbing at you over it is cruel. Stop buying presents, you can't afford it right now. Just send cards. And with the money saved, buy yourself a menstrual cup to save on money for tampons. I'm shocked that your life partner is letting you live like this.

purpleboy · 02/02/2021 16:52

@Lochabernomore

I haven't RTFT but I think I'd struggle to forgive you too. Sorry, just another opinion. I'm a saver and if my DH got into an awful lot of debt I'd not be sure I could forgive him and move on.
Even if it was accrued due to depression & anxiety as op said? That's not very "in sickness and health" is it?

Op you made a mistake, you know that, your dealing with it. You lied, a lie about anything is hard to swallow, I can understand his anger, however he made the choice to stay and the fact you are doing so well paying it back, for me means he doesn't get to keep using it as a stick to beat you with.

I do agree you should write down all your bills and figure out who actually pays what, although I doubt he would be willing to change these amounts.

Only you know what he is really like, but honestly what you have said here would be enough for me to leave, I wouldn't be treated that way, especially when he has cheated on you twice. He obviously isn't perfect either and I'd say his indiscretions where a hell of a lot worse than yours.

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