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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:
Cokie3 · 04/02/2021 09:17

OP, Flowers Cake your updates do sound promising. If he is a decent guy otherwise, and truly is committed to making it work, and is showing some compassion and emotion, then maybe I was wrong to be so harsh about him. I hope this works out for you, and I hope your holiday is a way to reconnect. You sound very level-headed, and I am truly hopeful it works out for you.

RedskyBynight · 04/02/2021 09:19

I totally missed that he'd cheated. Now that's something I would be wondering if I could trust again.

He cheated when they were teenagers. Which is not great behaviour, but hardly the same as cheating when you're married to someone/been with them for years.

TatianaBis · 04/02/2021 09:29

Good luck OP Flowers

Noidea2114 · 04/02/2021 09:37

OP good luck in everything going forward.

To the nasty posters all I can say is you can't have a loving marriage. Remember marriage is working together through good times and the bad however
difficult they are. Mental health issues need care and understanding. But some on here not only want to push someone off the edge but would want to
stone them as well. Shame on you. It's all over the internet to 'BE KIND' is it because you are behind a keyboard you feel brave to hurl abuse.
I hope you never have to go through bad times.

TheGoodEnoughWife · 04/02/2021 09:45

That all sounds really positive OP.
I hope you can work things out.

YoniAndGuy · 04/02/2021 10:07

OP he is a nasty piece of work.

Lol I bet you messing up like that was absolute catnip to him. The perfect get out so that his controlling behaviour can really run rampage!

Joint account? 'Why did you buy X' - your answer should be 'Because I wanted to. It's my account too.'

Cheated twice?!

Go to counselling and open your eyes.

billy1966 · 04/02/2021 10:11

OP,

I am so thrilled that you have found the strength to stand up to this nasty bully.

I appreciate he is finally saying the right things, but he has put you through additional hell when you were in the depths of grief.

I don't believe he deserves you.

I believe you are worth 10 of him.

I also believe you are a phenomenally strong woman who has no idea of just how strong she is.

When you do your counselling make sure you spell out just how mean, nasty and belittling he has been.

Make sure you spell out just how badly he has behaved.

Yes you accumulated a debt as an escape for horrendous grief and that was wrong, ....you have spent two years living on nothing to repay it.

What EXACTLY is his excuse for being a nasty vicious mean pig.

YOURS was terrible grief.

What EXACTLY is HIS excuse for being so vicious for 2 years.

He is NOT a good man at his core.

You are worth 10 of him.

I really hope you are seeing the really small little man that he is and will NEVER all this little treat you badly again.

Keep repeating that you are quiet happy to separate if you see even the slightest meanness from him again.

You deserve so much better than this little man.

Your grandparents who loved you so much would be absolutely horrified with your treatment.

Please keep posting and mind yourself Flowers

Tableforfiveplease · 04/02/2021 10:15

I'm very sorry for your losses op Flowers

I'm not saying it's easy but you either forgive someone or you don't.

He hasn't forgiven you and is using this as a stick to beat you with, which is unfair because if you had been paying rent proportionally to your earnings, then you would probably have paid the debt off right now and also it's really stupid because by doing this, he is probably adding to your depression, which was the cause of the issue in the first place.

I know this is a very difficult thing when you have had so many miscarriages (and I know from personal experience what a horrible experience that is) but I would seriously, seriously take a step back and consider if you want to be in a position on maternity leave where you may be dependent on this man mean-spirited man.

Bookwords · 04/02/2021 10:37

We had another chat last night and I told him I feel like he's treated me as if I need constant punishing and reminding on top of dealing with my grief, anxiety, depression. I broke down in front of him and told him that I didn't feel life is worth living like this. For the first time in what feels like forever, I saw him cry, he put his arms around me, he told me he is sorry, he's agreed to come to couples counselling especially to focus on our shared grief of losing our babies.

I'm so sorry for you both, you've so much going on.

Mif4 · 04/02/2021 10:47

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Tableforfiveplease · 04/02/2021 10:47

Op, apologies, I managed to completely miss some pages of this thread and your update.

(Just for information: your poor credit will affect his and your joint rating because you share the same address.)

It's good to hear you have had a talk, and I can see from his point of view, how monetary loss could have compounded the loss of your miscarriages.

Also, if you forgave his indiscretions as a teenager, then he should in return be fully forgiving yours now.

The thing that still makes me wary though is that despite what has happened; would I want to be married to someone who had the mentality to question my £3 spending at lunch time for tampons or a water bottle? Seriously, have a think about this. Is that behaviour honestly related to your previous over-spending or is his personality fundamentally mean and controlling?

And if you both work ft, why are the household chores not split half way?

Be very careful op. Flowers

HmmSureJan · 04/02/2021 10:53

@wishes1111

Sorry for the repeated posts, lots of questions to answer.

I can use the joint account but I do not as he scrutinises it through online banking (checks it nearly every day) and if I buy a bottle of water for work on there or we've run out of toilet roll etc, I'll get a text asking me "why did you spend £3 in Tesco's/Sainsbury's /the local corner shop" and it's just not worth the constant nagging. So I very rarely use it.

We had another chat last night and I told him I feel like he's treated me as if I need constant punishing and reminding on top of dealing with my grief, anxiety, depression. I broke down in front of him and told him that I didn't feel life is worth living like this. For the first time in what feels like forever, I saw him cry, he put his arms around me, he told me he is sorry, he's agreed to come to couples counselling especially to focus on our shared grief of losing our babies.

I told him I want him to cancel the holiday to Cyprus (after reading some of your posts I thought maybe they're right and it's another way of control and what gives him the right to book a holiday without asking me).

He said to me that if I want him to cancel he will but he thought having something to look forward to after so much shit for the past 7 odd years (losing grandparents, babies, the debt etc). I think he genuinely booked it to lift our spirits up so agreed to leave as it is and he's agreed to counselling.

We have agreed that the coil will be fitted and stay there, we will go to counselling, try and move past this with help from professionals and focus on the holiday and if we are together/in a good place after the holiday we will re-evaluate the whole baby situation. Hopefully I would have had extra tests by then.

He's working away from today until Saturday afternoon. He said Saturday night he will sit with me, make a spreadsheet and look into how much interest I'm paying, he said because I've cleared a chunk of it, he will the remaining and we will work out on the spreadsheet from there. Which I am grateful for but I have made it clear that if he's going to throw it in my face any chance he gets I don't want him to do it. He's promised he will not and I've promised that if he does I will leave for the best of both of us.

Without the people on here offering advice, being kind and supportive, I wouldn't have had the confidence to stand my ground. So thank you to you all.

As for the trolls and the unkind people, I really do hope life does not ever hit you with such grief, pain, trauma. I wouldn't wish what I've been through on anyone but please just be kinder. If I was still in that place I was a year ago when I attempted to take my own life, some of your words could of pushed me over the edge. Just please think before you judge.

Sounds positive but I will be really surprised if he manages to go a month before he attacks you for it again. It's too ingrained. He likes having this over you. Hope I am wrong though.
wishes1111 · 04/02/2021 11:59

@Mif4 after our talks he has said he will pay off the remaining balance. I don't know if he was completely blind to this all weighing me down or knew and was just letting me get on with it for "punishment". He seemed shocked when I said I feel my life isn't worth living with everything from debt, to him treating me this way, to the miscarriages and grief. Although I tried to end my life last year, I think he thought of it as a quick cry for help. I will add he was devastated I did this but it wasn't long before the spite continued.

@Tableforfiveplease he was never ever like this before I did what I did. He's always been a saver, I've always been a "live in the moment" kind of person although never in debt before and managed my incoming/outgoings. It is like he's been replaced with a different man. However the man I saw cry last night gave me hope that the kind man I married is still in there somewhere and maybe he's been lost in grief too.

OP posts:
wishes1111 · 04/02/2021 12:00

@HmmSureJan I've made it very clear that I will leave if it continues. I told him I have survived childhood abuse, adoption, losing the people who bought me up, miscarriages and I would survive losing him too. I stood my ground for once and all of the kind posters on here made me realise I am strong and I don't need anybody to drag me down especially when I am healing.

OP posts:
IM0GEN · 04/02/2021 12:08

[quote wishes1111]@HmmSureJan I've made it very clear that I will leave if it continues. I told him I have survived childhood abuse, adoption, losing the people who bought me up, miscarriages and I would survive losing him too. I stood my ground for once and all of the kind posters on here made me realise I am strong and I don't need anybody to drag me down especially when I am healing.[/quote]
This is very profound realisation and I hope it gives you strength as you move ahead.

You’ve had so much loss in your life, no wonder it’s catching up on you. I hope you find the support you need at this time.

abstractprojection · 04/02/2021 12:17

Your paying half the rent despite him earning twice as much as you

Your paying your debt but he’s making you feel bad or even punished for this

Your left without money for tampons or lunch because of both of these

Yeah I’d be pretty pissed off and not looking forward to the next couple years it’ll take for me to be forgiven for my own mistake that I’m taking responsibility for

Throwntothewolves · 04/02/2021 12:46

He has more than enough in savings to cover my debt. I don't expect him to do that but...' yes you do or you wouldn't even have thought to mention it.
I do wonder if you've used 'tampons' as an example to paint him as unreasonable when you ask to 'borrow' (do you pay him back?) a small amount. How often do you need an extra tenner? Once a month, once a week, every day? You mentioned halving the rent, then the rest is spent on your debt and you. Who pays the other bills?

I've been married to someone with huge debt, similar reasons to yours, and a totally irresponsible attitude towards money. He too thought I should sort it out. When I was young I tried to, using savings and loans to help clear his debt. Guess what happened next? He ran up more debt and lied about it because he knew what I'd say. The resentment I felt was huge.
I ended up paying all the bills, mortgage etc on my own because he claimed he couldn't afford to due to debt. Even then he still put his grabby mitt out for a tenner every so often.

I may be projecting somewhat, but can't you see that the problem is that you lied, you are still financially irresponsible, and you seem to think he has some sort of responsibility to sort everything out? That is what gets to him. You may be married but despite what other posters will tell you, you did this and you must be more responsible with money, including facing up to the damage you have done to your marriage. There is nothing quite like money to destroy an otherwise happy relationship

longtompot · 04/02/2021 12:54

@Throwntothewolves

He has more than enough in savings to cover my debt. I don't expect him to do that but...' yes you do or you wouldn't even have thought to mention it. I do wonder if you've used 'tampons' as an example to paint him as unreasonable when you ask to 'borrow' (do you pay him back?) a small amount. How often do you need an extra tenner? Once a month, once a week, every day? You mentioned halving the rent, then the rest is spent on your debt and you. Who pays the other bills?

I've been married to someone with huge debt, similar reasons to yours, and a totally irresponsible attitude towards money. He too thought I should sort it out. When I was young I tried to, using savings and loans to help clear his debt. Guess what happened next? He ran up more debt and lied about it because he knew what I'd say. The resentment I felt was huge.
I ended up paying all the bills, mortgage etc on my own because he claimed he couldn't afford to due to debt. Even then he still put his grabby mitt out for a tenner every so often.

I may be projecting somewhat, but can't you see that the problem is that you lied, you are still financially irresponsible, and you seem to think he has some sort of responsibility to sort everything out? That is what gets to him. You may be married but despite what other posters will tell you, you did this and you must be more responsible with money, including facing up to the damage you have done to your marriage. There is nothing quite like money to destroy an otherwise happy relationship

Maybe read the ops posts as she has explained all this, many, many times.
SandyY2K · 04/02/2021 13:00

I've made it very clear that I will leave if it continues. I told him I have survived childhood abuse, adoption, losing the people who bought me up, miscarriages and I would survive losing him too. I stood my ground for once and all of the kind posters on here made me realise I am strong and I don't need anybody to drag me down especially when I am healing

Well done for telling him this Wishes.
Just remember....you're stronger than you realise.

Many people would have found much worse coping mechanisms, which are way more harmful.

You should be proud of how far you've come.

wishes1111 · 04/02/2021 13:14

@Throwntothewolves another one that's not read my posts.

I don't just pay rent, I pay for the food shopping, the council tax, my car, my diesel, my dogs insurance and food and my debt.

I probably ask for £10 twice maybe three times a year.

OP posts:
wishes1111 · 04/02/2021 13:17

@Throwntothewolves also I am not still financially irresponsible. I've been paying my debt for 2 years without default. I don't buy myself clothes, make up, my hair cuts are free as we have a hairdresser in the family who won't take money for it.

OP posts:
wishes1111 · 04/02/2021 13:18

@Throwntothewolves also for the record. I can see what I did was wrong, I admitted it, put a plan into place, I've apologised for it over and over again.

OP posts:
Smallgoon · 04/02/2021 13:56

OP, I wouldn't bother responding to anybody who can't be bothered to read your posts. The repetitiveness in this thread is tiresome.

Your post updates are very positive and I'm glad you've realised his behaviour towards you in recent years has not been ok.

PandemicAtTheDisco · 04/02/2021 14:15

It's clear you are not sponging off him and are being responsible for paying off your debts.

I think it is important to be happy in a relationship and a lot of my past depression was due to/not helped by relationship issues. I've been devastated when some relationships ended but barr one I've always recovered within a few months and found my mental health to have improved dramatically.

Bookwords · 04/02/2021 14:21

@Throwntothewolves yes you are projecting and you've clearly not even read OPs posts.

Her situation is nothing like your partners.

Have the decency of understanding not everyone is the same?

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