Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH & money

64 replies

Shining526 · 23/08/2024 10:33

I work part time partly so I’m home to look after our DC 2 and our childcare costs are very low but also as due to my health I wouldn’t be able to work full time anyway. My husband earns over 3x what I do, he pays all the rent but we get it really cheap as it’s a property one of my relatives owns, more of a token gesture than anything else. We both pay the same amount into the joint account, everything we split down the middle, with him paying for a few more takeaways or small items. He can be generous with money but recently I’ve noticed him offering to pay less and less and spending lots on unnecessary items for himself, it’s like he’s being thrifty because he’s already bought these big extravagant expensive things for himself, think gaming and gadgets, and I often don’t find out about them until they’ve turned up in the post. He’s spent about £2,000 in the last week. We’ve recently booked a holiday for October and due to our DC needing some fairly expensive new items, that we will pay 50/50 for, I’ve expressed that I’m concerned that I’m not going to be able to save up enough spending money now and he’s not even offered to pay a bit more given his higher income but I’m not sure of this is reasonable of me to expect this?

OP posts:
BeatsAntique · 23/08/2024 22:18

@DaisyChain505 Once bitten and all that. I only fully trusted someone once financially and I got monumentally screwed over. Even in another relationship, that lesson has already been learned the hard way and you rarely do it again.

Everyone needs their own, personal money, their fuck off fund, you never know. We go into relationships with the best of intentions but many, many of them don’t work out.

The only person I 100% truly trust is myself. Many women are in that same position and it’s not a bad thing to be extra cautious.

Gogogo12345 · 23/08/2024 23:08

DaisyChain505 · 23/08/2024 21:40

Because you shouldnt see joint finances as a risk with someone. If you think they’re good enough to be your life partner and create literally living beings with, you should be able to trust them with money.

Edited

Where thehellareyou getting thatiwascreating living beings with him? Did you not bother to read my post? I had dealt with my own kids and finances the who.e of my adult life so why would I then automatically give someone unlimited access to mine and my children's money before they proved they could handle money well?

Strange really as this forum is full of " put kids first" yet when I do that by making g sure theresenough money to feed and house them then someone suggests I should have a joint account which risks thay

SleepyRich · 23/08/2024 23:51

The 50:50/separate finances is so very strange to me. Surely if you've made a commitment to be paired for life and have children together then you'd want equal finances. Even more so when one has reduced their work to provide the wrap around care for their children.

It's wild to me that you could be happy spending £2k on gadgets/toys, and your partner is scrimping and saving worried about money. I do think it would be reasonable to suggest this was abusive.

All money is family money. As a family it sounds like you are fortunate and have a very good salary. Not having to worry about money day to day is such a privilege/reliever of stress. Why would you with hold this from the person you love if it was in your power to grant it!??!

Emmz1510 · 29/08/2024 08:06

Time you pointed out how much it is saving you both in childcare that you work part time! I know you say you couldnt work full time anyway because of your health but thats not your fault! You think you should be penalised for not having 100% health? Time for a rethink

MumsTheWordYouKnow · 29/08/2024 08:28

That’s financial abuse. You work part time. You can’t magic up more money when he has 3 x the amount. You surely should only contribute a third or put all the money together to split.

Notamum12345577 · 29/08/2024 08:33

Shining526 · 23/08/2024 10:33

I work part time partly so I’m home to look after our DC 2 and our childcare costs are very low but also as due to my health I wouldn’t be able to work full time anyway. My husband earns over 3x what I do, he pays all the rent but we get it really cheap as it’s a property one of my relatives owns, more of a token gesture than anything else. We both pay the same amount into the joint account, everything we split down the middle, with him paying for a few more takeaways or small items. He can be generous with money but recently I’ve noticed him offering to pay less and less and spending lots on unnecessary items for himself, it’s like he’s being thrifty because he’s already bought these big extravagant expensive things for himself, think gaming and gadgets, and I often don’t find out about them until they’ve turned up in the post. He’s spent about £2,000 in the last week. We’ve recently booked a holiday for October and due to our DC needing some fairly expensive new items, that we will pay 50/50 for, I’ve expressed that I’m concerned that I’m not going to be able to save up enough spending money now and he’s not even offered to pay a bit more given his higher income but I’m not sure of this is reasonable of me to expect this?

Why are you paying 50/50 when he earns 3 times more? I don’t get couples having separate money, but if you do, you need to pay in proportion to earnings. Especially as you are part time!

Dingdong90 · 29/08/2024 08:33

Mindymomo · 23/08/2024 10:38

I’m sorry I just don’t get married couples paying everything 50/50. All money should be family money and in my opinion all in one pot, as a partnership in marriage.

100% agree with this. That's what me and OH do. Everything we earn is for all of us, doesn't matter who earns more or less, its all for the family . I know so many couples who have separate incomes and just don't understand it especially if you have kids and live together

Mamabear487 · 29/08/2024 08:36

If your a family unit and work part time I find it weird you split everything 50/50. You should be a team and money should all go into one account for everything. That’s what we have done from the get go. Never argued about money, never have to ask or get permission to buy something. My partner earns about 8 times my salary and I’m part time due to 2 kids and do the majority of everything. He sees it as our money.

MamaBear4ever · 29/08/2024 08:37

You are covering the child care costs. Is that factored in to his 50/50 split?

mummybear35 · 29/08/2024 08:47

Husband of nearly 30yrs and I share everything. Salaries all go into one account and bills etc get paid out of it. My husband and I don’t count money between us as he’s always said what’s his is mine and vice versa. Works for us. I’ve never had to ask his permission or approval before making personal purchases and neither has he. We just respect each other and don’t take advantage of the arrangement.

Purpleturtle45 · 29/08/2024 09:31

I work part time as well and my husband probably earns about 3x more too. We pay proportionally into the joint account so we both get to keep the same amount of money each month.

I know lots of people on here think all money should be shared but I like my own money to spend on what I want without feeling guilty like going away for weekends with my friends etc.

Viviennemary · 29/08/2024 09:33

This set up is just hopeless. Why women agree to this beats me. You might as well be living in a flat share.

Greydays3 · 29/08/2024 09:43

You are being financially abused by him.
He is mean.
Do not put his name on any house you buy.
Keep every penny of your inheritance and do not marry him and then live in a house you have paid for.
It will become a shared asset.

He is mean.
Are you happy?
Because if it is your relatives house, get him out.
Good men are not mean.

Welshmonster · 29/08/2024 13:37

You need to have a conversation about this now as it will get worse. Don’t let him rely on your inheritance to make up shortfall.

he needs to pay for his child properly to as you probably pay more of those things.

go through all direct debits and standing orders with a fine tooth comb. Trim out anything that isn’t essential. If it is for him. Eg a a subscription to something then he can pay that out of his own account with his money.

he should be saving loads into a high interest account if he has 50% of income left.

work out what percentage yours is of total
income and once you know what the bills including rent are then you can pay that percentage.

it will then allow you to have some disposable income

New posts on this thread. Refresh page