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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:
lalafafa · 03/02/2021 00:50

Don’t bring a poor child into your mess.

SmartPinkShoes · 03/02/2021 01:13

My lovely, if you can at all, get yourself over to the Debt Free Wannabe forum on money saving expert. forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/debt-free-wannabe

You will get genuine support and understanding over there. And help with reviewing an up-to-date statement of affairs if that's what you need.

Please ignore the horrific judgement on this thread. The ignorance about the complexity of getting stuck in a cycle of debt (for whatever reason) is astonishing. What's done is done and you don't owe anyone here any further explanation about why you got into debt. What's important is that you are addressing it. And doing so with a phenomenally unsupportive husband.

I agree 100% with the posters who've said his behaviour looks like financial abuse. This is not how you treat someone you love.

Please talk to people who understand debt on debt free wannabes (and in real life!) to help you put this situation in perspective.

ImAGummyBear · 03/02/2021 01:37

You sound lovely OP. You also sound genuine and good hearted and a strong woman too. You admitted to a mistake and have been paying for it for years. You haven't lapsed and are trying your best to finish the debt.
After the initial anger and frustration, as long as you've kept to the repayment plan, you needed understanding and support from your DH which you haven't received.
I wish you well wherever this may lead you. It could be the eye opener to things you hadn't really noticed before or it could be you just need a good talk and for him to understand how you feel. Best of luck and happiness, you deserve it Flowers

icecreamsundaesprinkles · 03/02/2021 02:06

Hi OP, this has made me feel very sad for you. I am glad you have had help with step change. My partner too got into silent debt of 21k and has since done an IVA. He had nothing left when he was making minimum payments and struggled to buy food and get to work. I think your part is being a bit unkind to you and should not be using this to hurt you. I could never see my partner go without basic things because of a mistake he has made and you should ask him about why he is doing this. Sorry about your losses Thanks

Disneyinmyveins · 03/02/2021 04:12

@wishes1111 I very rarely comment on here but I just wanted to send you a virtual hug. I get it. My husband early in our marriage did something similar and it took a while for me to trust him again. The difference here is we worked on it together.
To give your DH the benefit of the doubt I would say he may be stuck in the anger stage of grief, maybe the only thing he can direct that anger at is your mistake.
You don't deserve to be treated this way at all, at it's very core marriage needs to be a friendship and I don't know may people who would treat their friends in this way. Might not be a bad thing to remind your DH that you should never look down on someone unless you are helping them up.
Please be kind to yourself, focus on build your self worth up and then you will be able to put yourself back together, I also have experienced multiple miscarriages and it is beyond brutal. You made a mistake but you are fixing it keep reminding yourself that x

Mostlylurkingiam · 03/02/2021 04:59

Surely you are married and a team?! I'm not married (no interest and live in a country where it doesn't matter) but with my partner 12 years, his money is my money and vice versa, why is he punishing you over and over?! If he paid it off you would both save money in the long run. It is a horrible way to treat someone you are supposed to love who made mistakes. No way I could stay with someone like that, what are you getting out of the relationship? Not shared finances, goals or emotional support? No one deserves to be treated like that.

BeepBoopBop · 03/02/2021 06:47

@wishes1111 If everything is as you say, then I would have to leave this man. As some of the previous posters have said, his treatment is tantamount to abuse. If he stopped showing you his 'nice side' occasionally, then you would probably have left years ago. It sounds as if he is nice only in order to prolong his treatment of you. £8000 is not a lot of debt, it really isn't and I would seek more advice on getting the interest being added. Try CA, FB (Beat the Bailiffs). Another thought that struck me was, if he did pay your debt of (and it would be in both your interests for him to do that), then he would no longer be in this position to hold this debt over you. Start taking back your life from this person, stop appeasing him by doing all the housework, stop showing him your Stepchange statements, find a friend, build up a stock of sanitary products with the weekly shop, go out for walks and take coffee in a flask if you need too, seek promotion, sell excess stuff on eBay, get the debt paid off and start your running away fund and most of all, do not have a child with this man - you will be committing yourself to being treated like this for the rest of your precious life. Please speak to Women's Aid - I could never, ever treat someone I loved and was a partner to, in this way. I am amazed at some of the disgusting responses you have received here too - stop engaging with them.

BeepBoopBop · 03/02/2021 06:50

@Mostlylurkingiam

Surely you are married and a team?! I'm not married (no interest and live in a country where it doesn't matter) but with my partner 12 years, his money is my money and vice versa, why is he punishing you over and over?! If he paid it off you would both save money in the long run. It is a horrible way to treat someone you are supposed to love who made mistakes. No way I could stay with someone like that, what are you getting out of the relationship? Not shared finances, goals or emotional support? No one deserves to be treated like that.
Exactly, I didn't read past page 2 as some of the replies were just vile, so I just read the OPs posts. After I posted I started reading back and realised that the more sensible amongst us had arrived to offer support.
SandyY2K · 03/02/2021 07:17

I think, by now, he gets to feel superior by bullying you and casting you in this role of "baddie". I am deeply, deeply shocked and worried you do not see this. You are sorting the financial debt out...now turn your attention to improving your life.

I absolutely agree with this.

Everything will end up being your fault in this marriage in his mind.

@wishes1111

In case you missed it. I posted earlier that while he refuses MC, you can access individual counselling. I know money is a problem, so you can PM me for details about a free service.

I really think you'd benefit from it and as you've not had any other adult relationship, you have nothing to compare his behaviour to.

wishes1111 · 03/02/2021 08:15

Thank you everyone.

I have had counselling myself but I don't think it was beneficial as I just felt like bringing up my childhood with my real parents and the losses etc just made me re-live it all and I'm seeing a psychiatrist in 2 weeks, finally had my referral after trying to end my life in January last year after I'd lost another baby.

Everything is weighing on me, from the debt, to the miscarriages, COVID (I have no release, cannot see friends etc), I'm working from home full time so I'm stuck here.

I do have a referral in place for the recurrent miscarriages but as I've had so many tests done, I am waiting tor a date at a specialist centre which could be months, this is fine as I'm not trying for a baby currently and would like to get my mental health back on track, my finances and see if I can finally get through to my Husband.

I did bring it up last night, he said he finds it hard to trust me (which I understand) and that sometimes he has days when he remembers I lied to him and he's angry with me (again I understand) but I asked if there's anyway we can move forward without him being hot and cold, as long as I keep my repayments up and keep my promise that I'll never take out finance/loans again without it being a joint decision (such as a car in the future etc).

He said the miscarriages and the debt is all too much and I know he's been grieving silently as he has barely talked to me about our losses. Maybe he talks to his closest friend? I don't know. I cried and told him I don't want 13 years to go to waste when we were so good before the losses, the grief, the debt. He said he wants to move forward too and he's sorry he didn't realise how much I've been affected by his bad moods. He also said he will go through my finances with me at the weekend and we can sort out a new plan.

I'm really hoping that this will be the end of the emotional and financial abuse, yes I have realised it's abuse, through some of your posts and I told him this.

I told him that I feel like I'm not even a human in his eyes when I cannot ask to use the joint account to buy necessities such as sanitary items or washing up liquid for example. He apologised and says he finds it hard because of what I've done but has agreed we can look at our finances together and work out a plan.

I'm really hoping that we can get back to the "old" him and I, we were a great team before we did this. I don't want to be in this relationship I don't recognise anymore and I also told him that and he agreed and also agreed that it is worth working on because he does love me.

Thank you to all of you for advice and kind words that have helped me open my eyes to this situation and have that conversation. I feel a weight has been lifted this morning and I can only see how things go in time.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 08:16

Op I think irrelevant of what anyone else would do there is a couple of things to recognise and accept, or you will continually feel let down

He is not going to use his savings to pay it off for you
He expects you to live within your 100 a month fun money and if you need more tampons than was bought in the shopping to pay for them.

Don’t ask him again. You need to sit down and talk to him, explain you don’t want to hear about resentment any more, on your side you won’t ask him for money, you’re dealing with it, and this needs to be a subject that’s simply not discussed again. When you’re clear of debt you can both discuss again how much additional savings etc is required if you want to buy a house or whatever. In the meantime you need to get on with it, and he needs to shut up about it.

TokyoSashimi · 03/02/2021 08:16

Oh Sweetie. Thanks

Very best of luck. You are a strong woman.

Bluntness100 · 03/02/2021 08:17

Sorry op, cross posted with uou.

Mrgrinch · 03/02/2021 08:19

I'm really glad you've talked it through and I hope you are both able to move past this.

I did mention upthread but not sure you saw it, is there any reason you can't sell a lot of the things you bought in order to pay off the debt faster? Places like depop are good for selling on clothes.

Rupertbeartrousers · 03/02/2021 08:20

So pleased you’ve had a proper heart to heart about it OP, have everything crossed that you can both work through this. You sound like such a strong person with all you’ve been through.

wishes1111 · 03/02/2021 08:24

@Mrgrinch embarrassingly I have nothing to show for it. I bought material items such as make up, perfume, clothes, new stuff for the kitchen, had my hair done a few times, anything to make me feel better temporarily. It's all over 2 years old now.

OP posts:
Bookwords · 03/02/2021 08:34

I'm really glad you've had a talk and he is seeing the problems he is causing and hopefully will realise the harm he is doing. But don't back down from him, don't agree because he makes you feel guilty, you've made a mistake he either wants to move forward and put this in the past, or he wants to separate.

I'll reiterate again, any husband unwilling to buy tampons for his wife, is a vile person. Remember that OP!

Ivyr0se · 03/02/2021 08:35

You are doing yourself no favours thinking of this as financial abuse. You have a spending addiction. If he gave you money he would be enabling you.

It is not financial abuse. He covers 2/3 of the rent and all the larger bills. £100 disposable income each month is actually very lucky, a lot of people don't have anything near that.

You husband is struggling too.

Sorry for your losses. Counselling often makes things feel worse but it helps you learn healthy coping mechanisms that will benefit you in the long term.

Pinkmoon33 · 03/02/2021 08:40

I feel like you are playing a bit of a victim card here OP. You made sure to set up your story so sympathy goes your way. I empathise that you have not had an easy time but we all go through things. It does not excuse spending thousands behind your husband's back. I agree he should stop talking about it but I certainly do not agree he should bail you out and pay off your debt. It is an important step for you to clear this debt yourself.

I also agree with what a previous poster said about bringing a child into this mess. Please reconsider. Children need stability, a stable mother and father and a strong relationship.

Beautiful3 · 03/02/2021 08:57

Just read your update. Well done I'm glad you managed to talk to him, and he realises how you're feeling. Helping you go over your budget and realising that you actually need money from the joint account is a real positive step forward.

Ileflottante · 03/02/2021 08:57

Can people read the entire thread, or even just all of the OP’s comments, before coming on here and telling her not to bring a baby into ‘her mess’. JFC.

She’s had multiple miscarriages. She’s been referred for treatment for it. She’s awaiting the fitting of a coil. Six miscarriages and the loss of the people who raised her sent her into the grief spiral which triggered the spending.

Emeraldshamrock · 03/02/2021 09:07

Great update OP.

PandemicAtTheDisco · 03/02/2021 09:24

I'm glad you have had a talk with your husband. I hope it helps but I would consider if you are financially compatible when the debt is repaid.

I can understand how devastating it is to lose family and multiple miscarriages. When I went through this then a bad habit got completely out of control and my partner found it hard to live with. My depression was also not easy to live with.

My ex was the one with the hidden debts. There was a huge expectation that I would help out with his debts but I refused to be responsible for them. I was very angry that it was hidden from me and it felt like I was being pushed into a role of a parent and in charge of curbing his spending. I had to keep reminding him that he couldn't afford stuff - he couldn't afford it and I wasn't going to indulge him.

He resented that I refused to make it all go away. I wanted him to learn a lesson, be financially responsible, pay off the debt quickly and then move on from it. I felt constantly annoyed with his attitude of wanting praise for paying off his own debts. I was annoyed he kept wasting money on unnecessary things like coffee and food at work, clothes, taxis, takeaways, leaving the heating on full with windows open. I felt he needed constant reminders not to waste his money.

I felt like I supported him by buying a flask and things for packed lunches, having extra money coming in by an evening job so he could put more towards his debts and less on our shared expenses. He resented me checking on his finances whereas I thought I was being supportive by encouraging him to attend a CAP course and helping him sort out his repayment plans.

I wasn't being frivolous with my money, I had a flask of coffee and packed lunch. I wasn't splurging on frivolous items and expecting him to watch. I expected his bad spending habits to just stop but he was unable to. His parents ended up paying off his debts. They have since done this several more times after we split.

I felt very anxious about his attitude to money and the dishonesty he'd shown when building up the debts. I couldn't trust him and I never fully regained my trust in him. I never felt like he accepted how bad a situation it was and how his money had been wasted and with nothing to show for it. I wanted reassurance that it wouldn't happen again a few years down the line. He never gave me that.

combatbarbie · 03/02/2021 09:26

I'm glad to see this update OP.

samanthawashington · 03/02/2021 09:28

OP. I'm glad your DH and you have had a discussion about how this has all affected you and how his behaviour is adding to your misery. By all means work together and maybe the hurt both of you feel can be healed together. If it does continue badly though, you must look at splitting up because this isn't good for either you. His moods will destroy you and never allow for the healing you need, and being kept in period poverty is an utter disgrace.

If he understands all this and works with you then all good. You must open up to him fully about your depression and misery. If he can't support you he needs to admit this. So sad for you that you don't have family to turn to in all of this