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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH's secrets and lies

238 replies

UnicornAndSparkles · 21/01/2024 21:42

I'll preface this with the fact that DH is generally a wonderful husband and father. He in incredibly loving and patient and generous and will always go out of his way to be a real 50/50 partner, be that with early starts, sharing the parental load as best we can (he'll always get up early with the kids for instance, and does most of the nursery drop offs and pick ups despite working full time). We've been married for almost 15 years and he is my absolute rock.

But. He has lied to me, on multiple occasions, about finances. At first it was to cover up a drinking problem, which I obviously knew he had, but he wasn't ready to admit to. With a lot of support from myself and others he has overcome and is now 4yrs sober. Something I am hugely proud of him for. But that drinking problem got him into significant debt which he didn't reveal to me. When he got sober he came clean and told me of the loan and credit card debt, totalling around 10k, all repayable within 2y he said. 2y came and went and I presumed it was paid. It's now 2y on and I find out it's not repaid and there's still around 10k to repay so there must have been significantly more at the outset. His company has recently gone bust and he hasn't been paid a salary for around 6m. He initially kept this from me for 2 months, contributing to the family finances as he usually would but only now I find out it was through a credit card. Obviously this was unsustainable and we he revealed the issue we started paying all the bills from our savings, which are almost depleted. I earn money too but not as much as he does, and my salary isn't enough to cover the mortgage and childcare costs. He put off finding a new job as he was sure the money would come in. It didn't and he has admitted he should have got a new job months ago rather than only starting to look now, when we have little savings left to fall back on. He's also revealed that he's been living in his overdraft for 3y. Again, something he kept from me.

He was on a 90k salary, which to me is a huge amount, but is so bad with money that he couldn't budget his spendings. He lives a champagne lifestyle, which I presumed was because he could, but it's become apparent that he couldn't afford half of it. I, on the other hand, would rather save than spend. It gives me far more of a thrill to see savings mounting up and shop in the likes of new look than it does to buy fancy things and not have any savings. Of course I enjoyed the holidays and all the rest of the things DH was spending money on, but only because I thought he could afford it and it was never overly lavish. My salary is far below his and I obviously had a very naive view of what 90k can afford, as it's clearly not the lifestyle we've enjoyed. He's always been this way, his family joke he was always awful with money. But the issue is the lies he's told me, the fact that he's kept the loan amount and credit card bills and overdraft secret from me, whilst the debt mounts up and up. We've always said we share finances and so it came as a shock that he wasn't being open and honest with me. He says he was embarrassed about the whole thing but now I don't feel I can trust him with money and am questionning whether he really does earn £90k or that's an exaggeration, whether the total debt is bigger than the 20k he's admitted to (he initially said it was 8-10k), whether there are more credit cards with payments due. It really worries me as we share a mortgage and have two children.

The crux is I asked him to prove he was being honest with me about the level of debt he now admits to. I've asked to see bank statements showing the figures and the repayment plan. But he won't show me. AIBU? We are very close to having to ask my grandfather to help us with money when our savings run out as until he starts getting paid again my salary cannot cover all of the outgoings (grandfather is in a position to help, financially, and has offered to do so as he is aware that we are living off our savings). Or we default on the mortgage. I cannot believe we're in this situation. I feel cross that he hasn't been honest with me and cross that he didn't up sticks and get a paying job sooner when he realised the company was going bust, but I can't turn back the clock and he recognises he's been a fool. But am I being unreasonable to not be able to trust him with the finances and to want to see the debt in black and white? Or is he unreasonable not to show me the level of debt he (and realistically "we" as we are a partnership) owe?

OP posts:
MonkeyPuddle · 21/01/2024 21:44

I wouldn’t trust him with my enemies money.

SoupAnyone · 21/01/2024 21:45

Have been here. He's lying to you. Run, fast before he brings you down with him

Mnk711 · 21/01/2024 21:47

Don't share finances with him. Sell the house. Don't trust him. As an aside why are you paying for childcare if he doesn't have a job? He should be doing childcare.

RatatouillePie · 21/01/2024 21:50

It's irrelevant if he's loving and a good dad.

He is a LIAR and keeping secrets.

Either he is totally honest with the finances or he leaves. It's quite simple. If he can't be honest about finances then your marriage/relationship is over.

CharmedCult · 21/01/2024 21:50

He's lying about his salary and he's lying about his debt.

You'd be insane to borrow from your grandfather to pay off his debts.

You should focus all of your energy on extricating yourself from any financial connection to him. Get the house sold and downsize, preferably alone.

Tell your grandad to keep his money for now, divorce your husband and enjoy any money gifted to you from your grandad without this utter leech bleeding you dry.

UnicornAndSparkles · 21/01/2024 21:52

He's not doing full time childcare as he's going for interviews and trying to get a paying job. Genuinely. With one I know the CEO and she's basically heavily hinted to me that they're going to give him an offer this week. But even if he starts this week he won't be paid for weeks and weeks. He has a job he just isn't getting paid as the company is going bust (I know) We're going to have to take legal action against them to get the salary he owes. We can't take the boys out of nursery as we'll loose their space and the waiting lists around here are 12+ months long.

I'm not trusting him with my personal finances obviously, but we have a mortgage and two children together and obviously some things have to be shared

OP posts:
Crazycatlady79 · 21/01/2024 21:53

Please don't take advantage of your grandfather's generosity to keep you and your mendacious husband afloat until the next time the latter fucks up your family's financial stability.

Have you sought any financial advice? Even a charity such as Christians Against Poverty can help.

This isn't just going to go away.

Whether you have a future with a man who can lie so easily about his financial struggles and mismanagement is a separate issue.

Arewethebadguys · 21/01/2024 21:53

There's so much worse to come. He's a liar and has shown you his true colours

Gcsunnyside23 · 21/01/2024 21:55

If he won't show you then he's lying. Tell him if he won't show you then leave. No way would I be asking for money from someone else if he won't be honest

Dacadactyl · 21/01/2024 21:55

In your shoes I'd be insisting on taking control of all the finances from here on in. And if he ever took out any further debt of any description, I'd be divorcing him.

rwalker · 21/01/2024 21:55

Did you never think where the money is coming from considering his history

whilst 90k is a very good wage you pay a massive chunk of tax and deductions so it’ll be more like 65k

PonyPatter44 · 21/01/2024 21:55

Well, if you're going to believe all his stories about having a job but not being paid (??) and paying off debt but the debt still mysteriously existing, would it be sensible for you to take absolute control of the family finances, pare your budget down to the minimum and give him a tenner a week pocket money?

MaryActsLikeSheDontCare · 21/01/2024 21:56

He won’t show you his bank statements? That means this is far worse than he’s admitting to

At the very least, you should have access to every single account.

UnicornAndSparkles · 21/01/2024 21:58

I genuinely didn't and that's my naivety. I've never had a 90k salary and it's so far above mine that I presumed he could afford everything we had. I contribute to the pot but he puts in far more than I do as he earns more. I never imagined we were buying takeaways or weekends away with the kids thanks to his overdraft.

OP posts:
Mnk711 · 21/01/2024 21:59

If you want to stay with him them I'd say 1) if he doesn't show you all his financial details he's out; 2) Get his salary sent direct to an account you control and can guve him money from; 3) I'd use credit checking sites (Experian etc) to keep an eye on him so he can't take out more credit without you knowing. 4) What's he doing in the evenings, get him out driving an Uber or something to bring some extra income in.

DelilahsHaven · 21/01/2024 22:00

He MUST be open and honest with you, or you won't be able to stay married to him in the long run.

I would want full control of the finances and a written promise that he won't take out any further credit on his own. You cannot accept help from your grandfather unless you have this, because you will have a high chance if never being able to repay it otherwise.

Ultimatum time.

NotQuiteNorma · 21/01/2024 22:00

Tell him you are not asking your grandad for money unless he is honest with you

Mnk711 · 21/01/2024 22:02

Also remember if you let him take down your credit history etc now it will become that much harder for you to rent etc when you have to leave him.

Aquamarine1029 · 21/01/2024 22:03

My god, what an absolute disaster. Honestly, you have GOT to lay down an ultimatum here. You are in charge of the money, end of, no other option, or you're divorcing him. Which is what you should do, anyway. Your husband is completely untrustworthy and a liar. He will ruin you if you don't take your blinders off and get rid of him.

If you do take money from your grandfather, it should only be to help you and your kids, not your feckless husband.

IHS · 21/01/2024 22:05

You urgently need to get to the bottom of the finances and give him an ultimatum that he hands over all financial responsibility to you. You can issue him a weekly living allowance and the rest goes on family requirements and on reducing the debt. If he refuses, then start making plans to divorce.

Clarinetiu · 21/01/2024 22:10

90k is not amazing money if you have the Range Rover, big house and private school.

The answer is he needs to subscribe to clear score (free) or credit expert and let you see the result.

bank statements etc can not include everything etc that’s why you need to credit report.

If he won’t share you know its bad

SausageAndEggSandwich · 21/01/2024 22:13

This is marriage-ending stuff OP. Or it should be. It's not the money, it's the lies.

He needs to come clean, today. Bank statements, credit cards, the lot.

Aquamarine1029 · 21/01/2024 22:17

he is my absolute rock

He really, really isn't. You just want to believe that he is. He has been lying unreservedly to you for years and he has knowingly put your entire future and your home in jeopardy. His children's home! It's unbelievable, honestly, and it would be a deal breaker for most women. It sure as hell would be for me. He will continue to betray you, op, it's just who he is.

Cakeladyfishcrazy · 21/01/2024 22:19

He needs to be totally honest.

if he has lost his job you may be entitled to universal credit and him job seekers. It’s no fun having to apply but it’s sometimes the only way to get by. There are online calculators to see if you qualify, just need your earning and both savings. They don’t need to know about any debt but you do in order to build trust and not live in fear.

I won’t say leave him as I’ve been in a similar position with my husband but he was willing to admit he was a fool and tell me everything so we could fix the problem together. If he’s still hiding stuff you won’t be able to work through it.

Nicole1111 · 21/01/2024 22:19

He’s clearly hiding more, hence refusing to show you. What’s the reason he’s giving for the refusal? Personally I’d be telling him he can either disclose it or now or do it as part of a financial disclosure once he’s ordered to by a judge as part of divorce proceedings.

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