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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Partner not fully committed??

69 replies

Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:04

So I’m with a guy and we recently have a baby together. I have a couple of kids from a previous marriage and before we moved in together we agreed he would contribute so much towards the running of the house. So far we’ve been living together for over a year and I’ve had to nag at him to pay. And it’s only the last couple of weeks he is actually giving me something (even it’s not much and he never seems happy about it). He gave some money for the baby just before the birth to buy necessary things. He buys little bits of food shopping now and again but mainly gets stuff only he likes and it’s never regular. He helped towards buying a car (that he wanted) but I’m stuck with extra costs and repair costs. He works full time, I am currently on maternity. He would prefer if I stay home to look after the baby than opt for childcare. I pay all the bills and do all the cooking and cleaning etc., when I have brought up the topic he says that him being here is no extra work for me: I am not doing anything extra or paying anything extra and I was managing the things before he was here anyway. I’m practically broke every month and struggling, he does always ask if I need anything on his way home from work and he says if I need something to ask, but when I do ask I get interrogated and if he feels it’s not necessary he won’t get it or help. I don’t like asking him and I certainly don’t expect him to pay everything, also just to add I don’t expect anything from him for my other kids because their dad pays towards them. I am speaking about home hills, rent, utilities, food etc.,
. He says that I pay the bills and he saves.. but I have no say over his money or what it is getting saved for, he never discusses it with me.
But I feel like the struggle of the fiancial responsibilities are all on my shoulder and that we are not a partnership. He is always saving his money and is always buying himself designer stuff. My mind is so confused atm and I could really use some advice… as I haven’t had this experience before and don’t know what’s the norm for when a new partner moves in.
Just to add, there is no evidence of our relationship on his side of social media.. a lot of his family (aunties, uncles, cousins) don’t even about me and our baby. He is from a Muslim background and says that they will give us an eye and that they are not important. Personally I feel in my gut something isn’t right!!! like he isn’t committed to our relationship because of this and because of his lack of interest to accept or commit to any responsibilities. Am I being paranoid about this? Or overthinking? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
gwenneh · 06/07/2021 13:07

So you pay everything, and he keeps his money?

Stop being a mug. Of course he's not committed and you know this.

lastqueenofscotland · 06/07/2021 13:07

why on earth did you have a baby with this man

LTB for gods sake

lastqueenofscotland · 06/07/2021 13:09

To add, you don’t want to teach your children this is an acceptable way to be treated

Hankunamatata · 06/07/2021 13:10

Did he move in because you were pregnant?

IAmAWomanNotACis · 06/07/2021 13:11

"He says that I pay the bills and he saves"

I bet he does - and I bet he'll never marry you, and that you won't see a penny of those savings.

This isn't a niggle, it's full on financial abuse. Chuck the cocklodger out and get CMS set up. You'll be better off financially, emotionally and you won't be so exhausted from being a housemaid to an adult baby.

Nsky · 06/07/2021 13:11

He needs to pay a regular fixed amount

Blanca87 · 06/07/2021 13:12

Give your head a wobble, love. Why on earth are you excepting this behaviour?

Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:13

I definitely feel like a ‘mug’.
I just don’t know what to ask of him when it’s my house he moved into and with having kids from previous marriage I am right to expect him to share cost..

OP posts:
lastqueenofscotland · 06/07/2021 13:14

@Saz8585

I definitely feel like a ‘mug’. I just don’t know what to ask of him when it’s my house he moved into and with having kids from previous marriage I am right to expect him to share cost..
Of course you share cost but you’d be more right to kick the waste of space out.
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 06/07/2021 13:14

My advice would be to swop him for tax credits and child maintenance.

Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:14

No he didn’t move in because I was pregnant, I fell pregnant a few months later.

OP posts:
Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:16

Thank you everyone. I have a hard time fighting with my heart and head. And being able to speak out and get some feedback is helping me realise Its not unacceptable for me to expect more from him.

OP posts:
ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 06/07/2021 13:16

I think you've been targeted OP. By a man who was looking for a cushy ride through life.

Where did he live before he moved in with you?

Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:17

He rented his own place before.

OP posts:
TheWitchersWife · 06/07/2021 13:17

Where was he living before he moved in?
Because I'm sure he had to pay bills, rent, utilities etc.
So he's moved in with you, saying himself loads of money and is basically spending yours?
You will never see a penny of those savings, they are his. You are paying for him so that he doesn't have to.
Hes using you.

Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:19

He rented his own place (his bills were all included)
He does buy me things once in a blue moon but I feel that that’s just to keep me sweet

OP posts:
MarshmallowSwede · 06/07/2021 13:20

He’s your roommate. Not your partner. No self respecting man would let his woman take all of the financial responsibility for their child and home.

You might as well kick him out. What is he actually contributing except for body heat at night?

ThisIsStartingToBoreMe · 06/07/2021 13:20

I suspect he got fed up of renting and wants to buy instead. Living with you and saving all his money will enable him to do that. If you stay with him, the next thing he will do is say "lets buy a house instead of renting". Except it'll be his house and you'll be doing all the donkey work.

Justcallmebebes · 06/07/2021 13:22

You've got yourself a CF Cocklodger. Can you add up all your monthly outgoings, i.e. rent, council tax, utilities, broadband etc and then ask him for a fixed contributions towards your monthly outgoings? I appreciate you already have children that are not his so ideally he should be paying at least a third of the total sum.

If he refuses then kick him out. With UC and his contribution through CMS you'll be heaps better off.

As for his family knowing nothing about you and his child, this doesn't bode well either.

He's treating you like a prize mug. Don't let him. Please raise your bar

Granohlaa · 06/07/2021 13:22

So you are paying all the living expenses for both of you and the kids and he “saves” his money?

I presume the savings is in his name only?

tallduckandhandsome · 06/07/2021 13:25

Jesus, OP. This is one of the worst cases of cocklodgers I've read on here.

Please get rid of him, my blood is boiling on your behalf.

Saz8585 · 06/07/2021 13:25

Thank you justcallmebebes

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 06/07/2021 13:26

You can ask all you like but you won't get.

Kick him out and go through CMS for money.

Hope he's not self-employed...

timeisnotaline · 06/07/2021 13:26

Oh my god get rid. Ask him for the same rent he used to pay, direct debit and when he says why your bills haven’t changed the answer is I need compensation for living with a guy who doesn’t support his child and for putting up with his total assholery and lies about ‘you pay the bills and I’ll save’. Now get out, luckily you’ve got your savings so I don’t need to feel at all bad.
Before you do this, make sure you have his parents contacts etc and put a pic of him holding baby on Fb and tag him.

honeylulu · 06/07/2021 13:26

Ugh! You'd be better off kicking him out and him paying you 15% of his salary in maintenance. Have a think about that ...

Until then he's freeloading off you, creating more mess for you to clear up and adding to the bills you have to pay and making a massive saving on not having his own place! Cocklodger alert! Moreover you and the baby seem to be a dirty little secret from his family and friends. I'm sad to say that one day he will probably disappear and you'll find out he's got himself a nice little Muslim wife to build a life and family with and this is what he's been "saving" for all along.