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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is it DH or me? (money matters)

198 replies

Alwaysforgiving · 24/02/2022 07:29

My DH and I have been together for 5 years. Over all this time there had been a real lack of transparency of what happens with his salary/money. He has children from a previous marriage. Throughout all of this year's, I've been the one paying most of the household bills. The percentage has varied through the years, but the best we ever got was about 60/40. I've always put all of my salary and my trust money in the joint account (big mistake) and he's always put in whatever he's been able to at the time. Also through the years, I've covered big expenses. I bought him a car (with my savings) and thanks to my savings and my family's help we've been able to get our mortgage for our first house and then for our current home. In the past, he's misused my credit card, and has lied about his personal finance situation (mainly being out of his overdraft). Over all of these years I've always wondered what does he actually does to his money and raised my concerns every now and then and things have improved but never to the full transparency that I would want. So we've reached a breaking point and I've told him the household would pay for his debts but he most close his current account, but he didn't want to close said account. I took his feedback and then suggested the household would pay for his overdraft, he keeps his joint account, we start getting paper statements (for transparency) and his salary gets paid to the joint account. I think considering everything I've done, and his constant lying for a year he still got a decent deal. To which he said that he didn't want that to happen because he wanted to pay CM from his account (as matter of dignity) and he'd transfer the rest. I said that didn't give me the transparency I wanted and I still had to rely on him transferring his salary. Then I lost it as I couldn't comprehend how he had the pizzazz to "voice his opinion" in a matter that quite frankly I've had enough. Thanks for reading!

OP posts:
Alwaysforgiving · 26/02/2022 07:33

I mean there's some nagging with certain things... For example I used to nag him about sending cards/presents to his family. He has no interest so have given up. (Although to be fair they send me cards, so I should send something back too!)

But apart from that, he's honestly a very decent husband, so I do hope things improve from here.

OP posts:
whiteworldgettingwhiter · 26/02/2022 08:32

So what's yours is his but what's his is his?? Hmm, very fair.

He's got to be hiding something, and he's taking advantage of you.

Snog · 26/02/2022 08:35

Well it's a healthy relationship where you can air your problems and find solutions - I wish you all the best.

Faaather · 26/02/2022 10:10

@Alwaysforgiving

I mean there's some nagging with certain things... For example I used to nag him about sending cards/presents to his family. He has no interest so have given up. (Although to be fair they send me cards, so I should send something back too!)

But apart from that, he's honestly a very decent husband, so I do hope things improve from here.

So were your other threads about domestic violence, drink, lying, sexting and cheating about a different husband of yours?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4487241-No-trust-left?postsby=Alwaysforgiving&fromid=115286874

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/relationships/4482811-Im-always-forgiving-DH-and-Im-started-to-get-tired

He’s not a decent husband. He’s not a good father. He’s just lucky he managed to find someone foolish enough to put up with him.

Merryoldgoat · 26/02/2022 10:28

But apart from that, he's honestly a very decent husband, so I do hope things improve from here

Look - you stay with him if you want but he’s been violent and sexts other women.

That’s not a decent husband by any measure.

Do what you like but don’t lie to everyone.

lovingtheheat · 26/02/2022 10:37

My sibling had one of these husbands. It doesn't get better. He got progressively worse generally and then abusive too. She stuck around trying to hold things together until she finally realised she couldn't do it alone AND that she was being taken advantage of. He didn't go quietly as he liked his new life as a kept man with no responsibilities. She was a shell of herself by the time things were done. Do not let something similar happen to you. If he truly loved and respected you financial transparency wouldn't even be an issue, he would be do-operating and not lying.

buddylicious · 26/02/2022 10:45

Open a bank account for bills and each pay the same amount into it.

Keep the rest yourself!

Merryoldgoat · 26/02/2022 11:03

@buddylicious

Have you read the thread?

OP earns £75k. Her DH earns £26k

How can they put in the same amount?

🙄

Alwaysforgiving · 26/02/2022 21:32

He's just complained about a bookshelf that we bought more than 3 years ago (and it was cheap, because well we didn't have a lot to spare...) Those type of comments really irritate me, it's not like we bought cheap things for the sake of it.

OP posts:
BambinaJAS · 27/02/2022 04:02

@Alwaysforgiving

He's just complained about a bookshelf that we bought more than 3 years ago (and it was cheap, because well we didn't have a lot to spare...) Those type of comments really irritate me, it's not like we bought cheap things for the sake of it.
I have read all the various threads.

You sound very insecure when it comes to your marital relationship. This is likely a pattern for you going back years with previous relationships so it would be good to reflect on this.

You over-compensate for your feelings of insecurity by trying to control your environment.
In this case your husband is terrible with money and clearly immature.

The situation is obvious: the more you push him about money, the more he will push back against you. The trend is easy enough to spot after going over your various threads.

Stop auditing his accounts and investigating his finances. That does not help the marriage. It just makes it worse because it causes a snowball effect.

I am not going to sugar-coat things;

Your marriage is in serious danger. Please do not excuse his behavior, or your own. At the end of the day, you are raising kids who will end up absorbing all of this conflict. This will cause lots of problems later on.

What you need to establish are respectful boundaries.

He puts in X, and he does not have to account for the extra £200 (or whatever figure you calculated before).

Having said that, what you can do is not give him access to your shared credit card (I am assuming it is on the joint account). I would cancel it. He can have one based on his own account, and you keep yours on your own account.

What this does is tell him that while you respect his financial privacy, you will not be subsidising him further via your own money. He needs to use his own.

Alwaysforgiving · 01/03/2022 16:02

Well it turns out he lied again, I feel like giving up.

OP posts:
Gazelda · 01/03/2022 16:43

@Alwaysforgiving

Well it turns out he lied again, I feel like giving up.
What did he lie about?

This sounds exhausting. And a very unhappy partnership. Time for some big thinking about your future?

Alwaysforgiving · 01/03/2022 17:18

Yeah, I've started another thread about divorce lawyers, because I've literally had enough.

OP posts:
JamMakingWannaBe · 01/03/2022 17:18

OP most people don't micro-manage their spouse/ partners finances like you want to.

As suggested numerous times, open a joint bank account, work out your joint expenses / savings goals, and each put a % of your salary in there. Individual spends are up to you / your DH.

Also as suggested before, go and see a Solicitor regarding what would happen if / when you separate.

Alwaysforgiving · 01/03/2022 17:21

@JamMakingWannaBe

OP most people don't micro-manage their spouse/ partners finances like you want to.

As suggested numerous times, open a joint bank account, work out your joint expenses / savings goals, and each put a % of your salary in there. Individual spends are up to you / your DH.

Also as suggested before, go and see a Solicitor regarding what would happen if / when you separate.

I've already done that! But he's never put in his "fair share".
OP posts:
MostlyHappyMummy · 01/03/2022 17:25

Nothing should be this difficult
You have to accept that he wants you to carry the burden of his and your own children and the house
While he does what he wants with his money
Up to you to decide how you feel about being treated this way
Pretty sure he won't want to separate though as it means he'll have to spend his own money on himself and his kids

Alwaysforgiving · 01/03/2022 18:13

And it was cam girls!!

OP posts:
JamMakingWannaBe · 01/03/2022 18:23

@Alwaysforgiving

Yeah, I've started another thread about divorce lawyers, because I've literally had enough.
Based on your last post, I think that's a very good move.
coodawoodashooda · 02/03/2022 07:33

I feel angry just reading about your pocket money. Maybe if you are good you will get a comic at the weekend?

KosherDill · 02/03/2022 07:54

So aside from everything else going on he has multiple other children. He is making no effort to save to help them with uni or cars or whatever assistance they may need as teens and young adults?

Not much "dignity" there.

Alwaysforgiving · 02/03/2022 08:04

@coodawoodashooda

I feel angry just reading about your pocket money. Maybe if you are good you will get a comic at the weekend?
Have you read the whole thread?
OP posts:
coodawoodashooda · 02/03/2022 08:08

No. Like i say it I was too angry. My xh thought I'd get pocket money too. Sorry if I missed something. I can't face the whole thread. I was financially secure when I met my xh. He cleaned me out. Slowly. But he did it.

Alwaysforgiving · 02/03/2022 08:09

@KosherDill

So aside from everything else going on he has multiple other children. He is making no effort to save to help them with uni or cars or whatever assistance they may need as teens and young adults?

Not much "dignity" there.

No nothing. But in all fairness nobody in his family has gone to uni, so this would be a new concept to him
OP posts:
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