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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:
rosinavera · 02/02/2021 19:44

I can't believe the posters on here who say they don't blame your husband. He was right to be disappointed when you told him but now you are dealing with this and you haven't reverted back - he should be encouraging you and not holding it against you and yes I think he should clear it for you too! My husband racked up 16 grand debt and when I found out of course I was angry but then we sorted it out together and because he won't do it again I don't hold it against him. After all I'm sure your husband has made mistakes too. xx

Emeraldshamrock · 02/02/2021 19:44

@mouldyhouse101 You can have a different view without being dismissive negative and completely lacking empathy.
Go take a cold shower. 🚿

Sugarandteaandmum · 02/02/2021 19:45

What would he do if you just said breezily "change the record, I've made mistakes, you've made mistakes, put up or shut up"?

wishes1111 · 02/02/2021 19:45

I forgot to answer one of the questions, yes the house is maintained by me. All cleaning and laundry etc is my job here whether I have endometriosis pain or not. I think I've realised a lot since posting on here.

The man I married isn't the kind, loving man he was, maybe that is my fault and I'm sorry for that.

OP posts:
Ileflottante · 02/02/2021 19:47

Wow, the other thread about everyone being cunts is being proved bang on in the extreme.

The irony is, is that the posters being the biggest, nastiest cunts, saying they can’t believe she was trying to have a baby, saying her husband should leave her, and going on AND ON about the specific amounts, are probably all up to their tits in debt themselves.

SarahAndQuack · 02/02/2021 19:47

@wishes1111

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

I will try and answer some questions.

  • I do buy sanitary items in the food shop but as I explained in a previous post, I have endometriosis. Sometimes my period can last for 4 days, sometimes 15 days, sometimes I'll have one a month, sometimes I'll have two. I can go through a pack of tampons in two days if it's very bad. Sometimes I get caught out unexpectedly and if I do and I don't have the money spare in my account and I use a joint account, he looks at internet banking and scrutinises me for it. Even for a a pack of tampons and maybe a bottle of water for when I'm at work. (I do not spend on the joint account every month, possibly 6 months out of the year I'll have to borrow £10 from it to cover something unexpected).
  • I haven't lied about the figure being £8000, I have no reason to. Some of my lenders have declined to stop interest on these debts too.
  • I do not take home £2000 a month, I take home £1509 after paying tax, NI and pension.
  • Our rent is £1500 a month, we live in Surrey in a normal 2 bed house, this is average for our area.
  • Yes I do buy birthday gifts and most Christmas gifts, I'd be utterly ashamed of myself if I didn't buy for those I love on occasions however these are not lavish gifts.
  • I wasn't in any debt when we married, I lost my grandparents and the babies after marriage. I didn't lie to him for "years".
  • I was getting to the point where I was suicidal about final notices and letters of legal collections, I confessed and expected him to be angry, disappointed, betrayed, upset. I did not expect to still be punished for my mistake for so long afterwards especially since I have made positive changes and I'm addressing the debts and my depression.
  • I do NOT expect him to pay my debt off, if he had offered I would have paid him every penny back. I was just noting that he has savings, triple what my debt is and if I was in his position I'd like to think that once the anger and shock had woke off I'd help him.
  • I have no way said I am an angel, I made a terrible mistake using spending to comfort me in my despair of losing the equivalent to my parents and baby after baby. I am sorry for this, I regret it every day, I am anxious over this every day and I will be until it's paid.
The thing that strikes me is you feel you're being punished because he still brings it up and resents it. You feel it is in the past.

But it clearly isn't, is it? You are still not being very honest about the situation. I don't think you are deliberately lying or anything, but you don't say the same things consistently. Obviously and unquestionably your endometriosis has a major impact on you, and your husband ought to be supportive ... but I can't not notice that you said earlier your cycles can last 10 days, now you are saying 15 days. The important issue isn't which detail is true, the issue is that when people ask about your spending, you start changing your story. That is the sort of thing people do when they're not being honest about money.

I also think the way you justify buying presents is something that would bother me if I were your husband. You say you'd be ashamed of yourself not to buy presents for those whom you love. But ... that's taking a moral high ground you clearly cannot afford, isn't it? One way to look at it is that, when you buy presents instead of necessities and then dip into your partner's money, what you're doing is asking him to subsidise your debt so that you don't look bad to family. Right?

Or are you saying that everyone you buy presents for knows you are currently repaying a debt, and still fully expects you to spend money you don't have on them? If that's the case your problem is with those people, not with your husband. I cannot imagine a situation where my loved ones would expect or want presents rather than for me to pay off debts properly.

AccidentallyOnPurpose · 02/02/2021 19:49

@wishes1111

I forgot to answer one of the questions, yes the house is maintained by me. All cleaning and laundry etc is my job here whether I have endometriosis pain or not. I think I've realised a lot since posting on here.

The man I married isn't the kind, loving man he was, maybe that is my fault and I'm sorry for that.

Was he controlling and scrutinising every penny you spent in the joint account before he found out about the debt?

At the worst of your depression and while you were gathering up debt were you working full time, earning as you do now?

Has he really really always been kind or loving or were the nasty incidents just less as he had no "excuse" for them?

Mynamechanged2 · 02/02/2021 19:49

Didn’t want to read and run OP.

Firstly just wanted to say I’m so sorry for all that you’ve been through and all the loss you have experienced in recent times Flowers

Secondly there’s been a tremendous amount of judgement on this thread and I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been drowning in debt myself and I understand what it feels like. After an event in my life (not going into details) I turned from a saver with 1000s in the bank to someone 1000s in debt.

Eventually I had to face up to reality and then bring myself to tell my husband. Like your husband he was very angry and unhappy with me. But his behaviour since has been very unlike your husband’s.

If you want a comparison when I achieve my milestones of debt paid off he tells me how proud he is of me. When he finishes his car payments this year he wants to give me some money to help me pay it off quicker. I don’t know if I will accept it but the offer means a lot.

If I were to ask my husband how he feels about my debt he would tell me how disappointed he is in me. But he doesn’t throw it in my face all the time. He knows I made mistakes and that I’m hard enough on myself without him piling on too.

I don’t say the above to gloat. I don’t think your husband is treating you right. It feels like he’s just chipping away at your already fragile self worth. You made mistakes and you don’t deserve to be punished every day for them when you are working hard to put things right. Maybe next time he says something ask him plainly what he is hoping to achieve by saying this to you.

Bookwords · 02/02/2021 19:49

I forgot to answer one of the questions, yes the house is maintained by me. All cleaning and laundry etc is my job here whether I have endometriosis pain or not. I think I've realised a lot since posting on here.

Well perhaps he needs to start paying you for this? Going rate is £13 + PH!

PurplePansy05 · 02/02/2021 19:50

I really don't think this is your fault that he isn't kind, OP. It wasn't kind of him to cheat on you before. And it isn't kind of him to allow period poverty either.

You'll get through this, there is a light on the other side of grief. And there are kind people out there, whilst I understand some of your husband's actions, there are some in based on which I'll repeat that I don't think he is kind or that he's ever been kind to you Flowers I think your latest update speaks volumes. Take care of yourself.Flowers

Shelby2010 · 02/02/2021 19:50

It sounds like you’ve had a very difficult time. How long is it since you told your DH about the debt?

MadameBlobby · 02/02/2021 19:51

He sounds horrible. I get he was angry and upset at the debt but he either needs to get over it and stop going ok about it or let you have a life without him and his controlling abusive behaviour. He’s a terrible person. Please don’t get pregnant by him/

SarahAndQuack · 02/02/2021 19:51

And, I'm really not trying to 'bash' you.

I can see the kind of person you are from your posts and I think you sound nice - you want to be generous with your money in the same way you're generous with effort in this relationship. But my very strong hunch is that you're in a relationship with someone who is hearing the way you communicate about money and seeing it not as generosity, but as a red flag that you'd over-spend again given the chance.

I think there are ways to communicate with him so that you'd be able to show him those fears are misplaced. If that's what you choose to do.

Noidea2114 · 02/02/2021 19:55

@wishes1111
A few questions. Yes you got into debt as a result of the trauma you have gone through.
Did you get any support after the death of your grandparents and your miscarriages.
Do you love your husband.
If you had a child would you want the child to see how your husband is treating you.
The most important one is do you love yourself.

If the answer is No to these questions. Please get support to leave him and start to LOVE yourself.
No one deserves what your husband is doing to you. That is abuse. When the debt is paid he will find something else to beat you with.

Snoozysnoozy · 02/02/2021 19:56

Well perhaps he needs to start paying you for this? Going rate is £13 + PH!

Presumably he only needs to pay his half of that

Geordieoldgirl · 02/02/2021 19:56

I am sorry for the sadnesses you have had in your life. You have faced your problem honestly and are sorting it out. That takes character and determination. I'm sure your husband has many great qualities but the bouts of resentfulness must be horrible for you. You cannot change the way he feels, but could you try to ignore it when he starts dragging it up? If you don't respond, there could be less incentive for him to keep on bringing it up. I hope he can get over it soon, and I hope you can get over his resentful behaviour.

Bookwords · 02/02/2021 19:57

@Snoozysnoozy the split is 60:40 though?

mouldyhouse101 · 02/02/2021 19:57

[quote Emeraldshamrock]@mouldyhouse101 You can have a different view without being dismissive negative and completely lacking empathy.
Go take a cold shower. 🚿[/quote]
Aren't you a delight!

Emeraldshamrock · 02/02/2021 19:58

@mouldyhouse101 Thanks Smile

wewereliars · 02/02/2021 19:59

OP your husband is a nasty , controlling bully who is using the debt as a weapon. The debt is not your problem, he is. Do not have children with this man, divorce him and find yourself some happiness.

SarahAndQuack · 02/02/2021 20:00

[quote unmarkedbythat]@confusedlady246 apt username

Have you ever heard of interest?[/quote]
But StepChange don't charge interest.

HmmSureJan · 02/02/2021 20:03

I think when you've paid it all off, the way he treats you will be so deeply ingrained that he will not be able to stop and he will find something else to justify resenting and digging at you. I'd pay it off and get the fuck out of there.

CaptSkippy · 02/02/2021 20:03

OP, I am glad you realize he really isn't that nice. You definitely deserve better.

If you feel up to it, check out the r/femaledatingstrategy on reddit. It is full of useful tips for vetting a men and maintaining your boundaries so that people don't walk all over you.

billy1966 · 02/02/2021 20:04

All cleaning and laundry and he fets to be a nasty abusive prick to boot.

Stop sleeping with this horribly abusive man.

Do not have sex with a man who won't help with housework even when you are in pain.

Stop bloody having sex with your abuser.

This thread is a disgrace.

OP,
Please contact Women's Aid for support.

He is NOT a good man.

Your debt has shown him for who he is.

You made a mistake that you are putting right month by month....

He is still having sex with you whilst being a nasty abusive man.

OP, please please wake up.

You do not want to have a cat not to mind a child with this man.

Please contact Women's Aid for fair unbiased support and advice on what you are going through.

Flowers
PerveenMistry · 02/02/2021 20:04

Did you marry him while keeping the debt a secret?

I'd be angry too but not spiteful on a daily basis. I think your marriage is over. Please don't conceive a child with this man.

Can you afford to live alone?

Expecting him to use his savings to pay for frivolous debt is unreasonable.

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