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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think DP is being selfish

307 replies

kiana2015 · 27/01/2025 23:28

We've just moved home, I would like to get a couple of bits for the house, new rug, curtains etc, the bits I've picked doesn't amount to more than £200. I was about to buy and my DP insisted I wait until payday which is 2 weeks away, baring in mind he had just spend 400 on a new gaming set up and spends about 200 every 2 weeks on pints after work.
Aibu to think he's being selfish

OP posts:
Imbusytodaysorry · 28/01/2025 15:25

kiana2015 · 27/01/2025 23:57

I mean he is a good father to our child, he helps me a lot more than I think most men would, it's not all bad

He helps. ? He should be 50/50 parenting /pulling his weight .
You have landed yourself with a right one.
He doesn’t pay for food or anything for his daughter. ? And he helps ? He isn’t a good parent he isn’t even a good partner.
Tell him today no more money from
you and I’d ask for £400 a month toward shooing and your daughter.
No more he loves as a single guy. Either that or tell him to leave you will be better off .

Fraggeek · 28/01/2025 15:26

If this were your DD coming to you, would you not want more for her? Would you want her to be happy or just settle (and don't give me any of the "not my business BS). Because you are settling. Your bar is so low you're going to trip and fall one of these days!

He spends far too much on alcohol etc, but aside from the money he's drinking way above what he should.
He's not a good father if he would happily spend that money without even a single thought for you or your DD. Even a simple "I'm thinking of going out for a drink but is their anything we or DD need before I piss money down the drain?" Would be better than what he's doing.

I know no relationship is perfect but seriously?!

DecafDodger · 28/01/2025 15:27

if he wants to go to the pub to wind down after a long day at work, then come home and play games, who am I to say he shouldn't?

While you barely have time to wash your hair? What if you also declared that you want to spend hours at the pub most evenings - would he think that who is he to say no?

LookItsMeAgain · 28/01/2025 15:28

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 12:02

@Billyblue47 no I haven't drank since before I was pregnant with DD, no I don't get time to play games I barely get time to eat my dinner and wash my hair

Yet he gets to spend money and time on a games console for himself, go to the pub and drink £60-100 every fortnight (which is £200 a month or £2400 a year, give or take) and you don't have time to eat your dinner and wash your hair. This is money that would tide him over until he gets paid again, surely you can see that?

He isn't a good person because a good person would make it a priority to ensure that their partner in life has time to shower and wash their hair and also to eat their meals. Why doesn't he do this for you at the very least?

I am working my way through the thread but while you claim to be happy, is it the fact that up until now, you haven't been aware that you have been taken for a ride here?

LuckyGuide · 28/01/2025 15:28

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Naunet · 28/01/2025 15:39

HouseAshamed · 28/01/2025 15:01

Yet you say he's a good dad. FFS.

The bar is truly pathetically low, isn't it? A man who does no parenting and doesn't financially provide for his child, is a good dad. How?! A mum being so shit would never be described as a good parent.

BeRoseSloth · 28/01/2025 15:39

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 11:56

But if we are a team and one how can I do that? Every-time I e tried tk speak about this before he gets grumpy and says it shouldn't be mine it should be ours

But you’re not a team if he’s taking advantage of you. In a team everyone puts in the same. He sees you as a money tree.

Rowen32 · 28/01/2025 15:44

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 10:30

@thepariscrimefiles no of course I'm not scared but what else can I do, leave him with absolutely nothing until he gets paid, that's not very nice

That's exactly what I would do

Streetsofkenny · 28/01/2025 15:49

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 13:40

You're right I don't care about his drinking, if he wants to go to the pub to wind down after a long day at work, then come home and play games, who am I to say he shouldn't?

And what do you do to wind down after a long day at work, OP? Do you completely check out of adult life and live like a teenager, or do you crack on with the real world of cooking tea, washing up, helping your child with homework etc.

I think of all your comments enabling your partner, this is the saddest one. It's like he's conned you into believing that he deserves all this freedom as he works so hard... jeez just like the rest of us! I finish my long day at work and then go home for another long evening of responsibilities!! I bet you do too.

If you do one thing, please take the time to read each and every reply on this thread. The way he is treating you is not acceptable and just because "he hasn't cheated" doesn't make him a good partner or a good father. You can do better, if not for yourself then for your child!

LuluBlakey1 · 28/01/2025 15:49

Oh he sounds awful! Pathetically childish and selfish.

Rowen32 · 28/01/2025 15:49

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 14:33

All my relationships have relatively been the same so if there's no cheating, why would I leave

Oh my gosh OP, your only bar is no cheating, that is so depressing.
And asking him not to drink/game so much is not controlling..

LittleOwl153 · 28/01/2025 15:56

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 14:54

@sweetpickle2 well this is why I don't ask him, I haven't asked him to pay for anything for our DD in months because I know at the end of the month I'll just be giving it back to him so makes more sense for me to just buy it

So are you gifting him money at the end of the month... or loaning him it till payday? Gifting is more difficult in my view as he repeatedly overspends, knowing he doesn't have the money to support his daughter and is expecting you to cover this AND his overspending knowing you earn roughly the same? So he thinks he is more deserving of the household funds that her and you combined?

What if you were to stop giving him money at the end of the month and instead out it in a junior isa for your daughter? How much would she have now I wonder... and by the time she goes to college? It wouldn't take long for him to adjust his expectations when the money isn't there...

ForZanyAquaViewer · 28/01/2025 15:56

HowardTJMoon · 28/01/2025 15:09

Unless he's buying drinks in a London nightclub, having two beers a night does not add up to £100 a week.

In a regular London pub, a beer is £6-7. So, if they’re in London or nearby, it tracks.

Grammarnut · 28/01/2025 15:59

Why should you wait? Go and buy them. He bought a quite unnecessary gaming set up - what is he a teen nerd? And have a joint account and a set amount of spending money each. What I mean is both salaries go into the joint account and you each have a set amount (same amount) to spend on personal stuff like going out, nice clothes etc (not recurrent expenses like period products - that's from joint account as part of the food/household budget). This will probably stop him drinking himself into an early grave, too.

DecafDodger · 28/01/2025 16:11

leave him with absolutely nothing until he gets paid, that's not very nice

It's also not very nice to drink all your money and expect your partner to bail you out every month.

arethereanyleftatall · 28/01/2025 16:14

DecafDodger · 28/01/2025 16:11

leave him with absolutely nothing until he gets paid, that's not very nice

It's also not very nice to drink all your money and expect your partner to bail you out every month.

Do you think he is being nice op to you and his dd when he goes out spending the money and time he should be spending on her on alcohol for himself?

Spend a little less time making sure he likes you, and rather more on thinking about whether you like him. You seem to try very hard to keep him happy, do you think he does the same for you?

lechatnoir · 28/01/2025 16:25

This is incredibly sad OP and I'm guessing you've not grown up in a household with happy equal parenting to learn what a healthy relationship should look like.

Every dreadful thing your OH does you defend yet the words you use sound exactly what I imagine he tells you. You're just trotting the same lines out as you're so conditioned to believe this is normal: "You're controlling (ffs as if), he deserves to wind down (when's your down time?), it's your fault for not asking for money (wtf!), he'd been left without anything (and?), he cooks when he's not working (is that how it works for you too?)

He's a selfish man-child and this is not how it needs to be and NOT what you want your child to grown up thinking is acceptable. Break the cycle, look into leaving him - you may well find you can afford it with some benefits to top-up & maintenance from him.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 28/01/2025 16:26

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 14:44

@ForZanyAquaViewer why would this be a fake post and why wouldn't I put up with all these things if it means keeping my family together

Fgs. He is a selfish, lazy, possibly alcoholic man child and you can't see why this isn't a good family unit for your child?! He's treating you like a doormat and you are not only letting him do it, you're actually defending him and saying he's a good dad. I wish it were a fake post tbh, because it's bloody depressing that women in 2025 are still putting up with these waste-of-space losers.

LookItsMeAgain · 28/01/2025 16:37

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 14:40

@Nanny0gg I wouldn't be able to afford the rent, bills and everything. Else without him

Yes, you would. You'd have some form of child support from him and yes he would have to stop drinking and possibly sell his games consoles.
You would also probably have some rent allowance or social welfare payments that you can't currently apply for as you live with him.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be investigating what you would be eligible for, where you could live with your DD (please don't have any more kids with this bloke) and DEFINITELY do not get married to him.

WindyRiver · 28/01/2025 16:37

He needs to be paying half for food. If that means going to the pub less...so?

LazyArsedMagician · 28/01/2025 16:41

You're only a team when he needs money, when you want to spend your own money on things to make your life nicer, you're "not allowed".

I would just be spending that and honestly fuck him if he's got no money at the end of the month. Maybe he'll take more care with his overspending on booze then.

MummyToBe89 · 28/01/2025 16:41

This is one of the saddest threads I’ve ever read on here. I’m actually hoping this is fake because I truly struggle to believe this is all true. I’m also unsure why you posted if you’ve spent the whole thread defending him!

So he’s allowed to “wind down” EVERY DAY after work, spending money he doesn’t have, then expects you to bail him out even after you covering more than half of the household costs?! Yet you barely have time to eat and wash your hair? Surely you’re not that brainwashed that you think this is normal? When do you get to wind down?

This “man” is a pathetic excuse for a human and if your self esteem has been battered down so much, that you actually stay, then at least speak to him and agree that it’s unfair that he gets to spend X amount every week but can’t contribute evenly to the household and his second child!

Can he not go for two pints, once a week after his working week is finished? Only an alcoholic would need to drink every day to “wind down” when they can’t afford it! And no, you don’t need to be dependent on alcohol to be an alcoholic. If it’s affecting your life in a negative way, then you have an issue with alcohol. Simple as that.

Sorry to be so blunt but this has really annoyed me on your behalf!

ChristmasFluff · 28/01/2025 17:05

Well you'd not be bailing him out every month if you left him, OP, and you wouldn't be paying for his food either. You'd also likely get universal credit (depending on your job income), and you'd get his payments towards his child.

I think you'd be less worse off than you think.

JHound · 28/01/2025 17:22

kiana2015 · 27/01/2025 23:31

Well I was going to use my money actually but I'm pretty sure the reason he's saying no is because he knows his money will run out and need me to bail him out like most other months

How do you even get turned on by a man like this?

Nanny0gg · 28/01/2025 17:28

kiana2015 · 28/01/2025 14:40

@Nanny0gg I wouldn't be able to afford the rent, bills and everything. Else without him

Universal credit?

And as you're subbing him every month I'm not sure about that

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