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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I lied about money. Now I want a divorce. Am I being an idiot/unreasonable?

264 replies

TinselTinselTinsel · 06/01/2023 11:22

DH is a difficult/lazy man. Had lots of support on MN in the past. Going to leave him. He won't listen or change.

Before we married (6 years ago), I inherited from an aunt £60k. We then married. The money has always stayed in my name and in my account.

We spent £20k on the new house and a second car.

Over the last few years, we've had various things go wrong with the house plus childcare for 2 x toddlers, plus pandemic etc.

Anyway - he gets very stressed about money. He doesn't do anything to do with money. Mortgage, bills, car, childcare costs - all down to me to sort to pay and know about. He doesn't even know who our mortgage is with.

Over the last couple of years, I've just downplayed how much things are costing. Because if I tell him "Oh the plumber cost £200" - he will go quiet for 3 days or throw stuff or shout "we haven't got any fucking money" etc, so I just used to say "the plumber cost £100"

I now only have £20k left. He thinks we have £30k to £40k of it left. He last asked how much is left of our savings 6 months ago and I said £35k.

Anyway - I lied. It's £20k.

I now want to leave him. I am the breadwinner. All bills, money, everything in my name. Everything from our savings went on nursery bills and fixing stuff in the house/cars.

I am considering waiting until I've saved up another £10-£15k in my savings account so he doesn't know I spent more on childcare and house that I admitted. But is that crazy behaviour? Does it matter if he finds out that everything cost a bit more than I said it did?

Now one of the kids has got free hours, i am saving every month and probably will get the savings back up to £30-£40k over the next year or two. And then I leave him and he takes half?

Any advice? Should I just leave now and when he asks say "ah yes, there is only £20k left actually"

I know I was wrong to lie. He just gets so angry and stressed about things and he doesn't' really ask anymore but when he did I would just say "it's all fine" because I didn't want to upset him.

OP posts:
rosegoldivy · 06/01/2023 11:25

In the nicest possible way.... who gives a fuck.

Your leaving him anyway, it's none of his concern how much YOU have left of YOUR inheritance

Tell him nothing. He can find out from your divorce lawyer

Tinkerbyebye · 06/01/2023 11:25

If you are going to leave there is no point in saving more for him to take half

start the ball rolling, finances come out however they do. If he kicks off about just be honest, you did it because it was necessary spending, you couldn’t cope with his reaction and that’s one of the reasons you are leaving

pippinsleftleg · 06/01/2023 11:25

Why would you want to stay in an unhappy marriage just to save up money that you’ll have to give him?

Leave now and he can take his £10k and be happy with it.

if he doesn’t like it that’s tough. I fully understand your reasons for lying to him and I’m sure that’s the reason you want to divorce him.

SleeplessInEngland · 06/01/2023 11:26

i would definitely be honest about the money. You pay all the bills and are going to leave him anyway, what could he do?

NoSquirrels · 06/01/2023 11:26

I am considering waiting until I've saved up another £10-£15k in my savings account so he doesn't know I spent more on childcare and house that I admitted. But is that crazy behaviour?

Yes, that is crazy behaviour.

You want to save up to give the person you are divorcing (who never got involved with money management) an extra £5-8K of money that was initially an inheritance to you (so not earned by him).

Why?

TarasChoc · 06/01/2023 11:26

Leave now. Why would you let him take more off your than he is currently entitled to.
You need to provide for yours and the kids future.
Does your husband actually earn any money? What was he contributing while apparently stressed about everyday expenses?

Chasingsquirrels · 06/01/2023 11:26

If it is definitely over then don't wait.
The money is spent, on your joint lifestyle. The divorce will only consider what is there, and potentially spousal based on income.
Don't spent 2 years in an unhappy relationship to give him more money at the end.

pjani · 06/01/2023 11:28

You can explain that your fear of his response was so bad you felt you had no option to lie.

Therefore it’s clear the relationship is so bad you have to leave. £20K is still £20K he wouldn’t have had on his own.

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 06/01/2023 11:28

Just leave. It's crazy to wait in s baf marriage another few years just to get back some joint money that was spent on joint things, to avoid him getting stressed

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 06/01/2023 11:29

rosegoldivy · 06/01/2023 11:25

In the nicest possible way.... who gives a fuck.

Your leaving him anyway, it's none of his concern how much YOU have left of YOUR inheritance

Tell him nothing. He can find out from your divorce lawyer

This with bloody great great bells on

NoSquirrels · 06/01/2023 11:30

It was not his money you spent. You have no obligation to give him extra money.

butterfliedtwo · 06/01/2023 11:31

You want to wait to leave until there is more money to share in the divorce? Nuts.

MaireadMcSweeney · 06/01/2023 11:32

It's crazy behaviour yes but you are thinking that way because he's abusive. Lying about how much things cost because he'll throw things and punish you if you tell the truth is awful. The fact that it's your money to start with is even worse. Just file the divorce papers and let him rage - he's going to do it anyway whatever you do.

edwinbear · 06/01/2023 11:33

Well no, leave now. He can have his £10k and then AFTER you've divorced, you can start building your pot up again. If he asks where it went you can just tell him the truth, that his constant ranting about money (which he didn't contribute to) was part of the problem and you were too worried to tell him the truth about how much stuff actually costs.

Onebelow · 06/01/2023 11:33

Yes that’s crazy behaviour. Why would you stay with him for another year or two to save up? Leave him now, he’ll get his £10k, and off he goes. What does it matter if he’s not happy about it? He won’t be around you anymore so you don’t need to listen to his whinging. He’ll get more than most from this divorce. Here’s your £10k, now fck off 👋🏻 Staying with a dckhead for another year or two is ludicrous

Chrimbob · 06/01/2023 11:34

I think you need to get out of the mindset about worrying about upsetting him. It isn't your job to mollycoddle him, to take on the responsibility for everything. He has been perfectly happy for you to take the strain. He is an adult and needs to be responsible for himself. And he will find this out shortly when he's single. Look out for yourself and DC.

Coxspurplepippin · 06/01/2023 11:34

Oh god, just leave now. Why put yourself through 2 more years of this just so you can give him more money he doesn't deserve. It was your inheritance. You've got bank statements - if you feel the need just go through them and itemise where the money's gone but please don't waste time on this until you've spoken to a solicitor.

gotmychristmasmiracle · 06/01/2023 11:34

Don't save anymore if you want to leave, if you want to save give the money to a family member to look after till divorce is finalised, I would even consider gifting the £20k for a family member to look after it until divorce is complete, he sounds like he would take everything if he could. Good luck 😊

SproutsLCerVEGNoEgg · 06/01/2023 11:35

Let me shake you!!!

Legally it makes NO difference that you lied to him about your savings balance.

Get rid NOW, don't stay with the TWAT, another two years to give him more if your money!! That would be the stupidest thing to do!!

You don't need to 'explain' anything.

Work out what's best for you - selling, buying him out & then what's best to do with your savings. Work it to YOUR advantage not his.

UNLESS he's a SAHD & looks after the house and that was the agreement made when he gave up work/reduced hours etc. but I'm guessing as you haven't mentioned it, & you've said he's a lazy guy, that's probably not the case!!

stop being a mug!!

Cherrysoup · 06/01/2023 11:38

Please see a solicitor for proper advice, but why would you save more to give it to him? He’s lazy arse, why do you want him to have more of your money?

EVHead · 06/01/2023 11:40

Definitely see a solicitor. They take all of the emotion out of situations like yours. They have lots of experience and know exactly how finances etc should be handled.

StarsSand · 06/01/2023 11:41

What? Oh fuck him.

Just come clean. If you're leaving him anyway- tell him you lied about the money because he was carrying on like a knob and getting angry at you about money.

He sounds like an abusive, lazy angry bastard.

If he was so worried about money why didn't he go out and earn some?

Your bank statements will show that the money was spent over time- it's not like he can accuse you of lying about the inheritance to short him in the property settlement.

LaurieFairyCake · 06/01/2023 11:41

The summary of this is you LIED because he got ANGRY when you told him the TRUTH

His rage kept you in check. You cannot stay with him for 2 years, you are completely tailoring your behaviour around his.

Leave, block, don't talk to him. Let him go through solicitors if he wants to (to try to 'prove' there's more money)

Flowers
SnowlayRoundabout · 06/01/2023 11:41

Just leave now. It would be madness to wait till you have built up your savings, because he will then claim half. If he even questions how come your savings are less than he thinks, tell him what you've told us. Anyway, it's your money, so it would be none of his business if you'd spent it all gambling or something.

Angeldelight81 · 06/01/2023 11:42

One of my friends just gave her ex-husband five grand to fuck off and didn’t go into any of the detail about what saving she did or didn’t have because he didn’t have a lawyer who wouldn’t be able to pursue it so we took his five grand and he pissed off.

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