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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who gets the compensation?

315 replies

LottyLollipop · 18/05/2026 11:25

Genuinely interested to see peoples opinions on this one....

I am the higher earner and unfortunately feel stuck in a bit of an expectation that if we go anywhere, I pay.
We recently went on holiday (myself, my OH and my 7 year old DD) and our direct flights out there were cancelled the night before and we were rebooked onto a new flight that involved a stop in the middle. Our connecting flight was substantially delayed but we got there eventually and ended up having an amazing time.

I paid for the flights, hire car, accommodation, all food and souvenirs etc. OH didn't even pay for a coffee.

I looked into getting compensation for the delay/cancellation and we were told that we were entitled to it but that I had to issue all the passengers bank details. We have since been paid some compensation, mine and our daughters came to me and my OH's went straight to his bank.

My thoughts were that as I paid for everything, that I should have the compensation which would go towards our next outing. My OH says that the compensation is for the annoyance factor of having to wait around and therefore he is entitled to his money and was therefore going to use it on sorting his car out.

What are your thoughts?

OP posts:
Ellie56 · Yesterday 22:01

It is unbelievable that he didn't even pay for a coffee. He has £800 at the end of each month and keeps it all to himself? Where is his self respect? And where is your self respect allowing him to sponge off you all the time?

Yes definitely have some mummy and daughter holidays/experiences and leave the entitled tight arsed freeloader at home.

And going forward make him contribute more to the household expenses. At the moment he is taking the piss.

SonnyHoney · Yesterday 22:05

I was on your side till I read your further comments.

It's a red flag how you initallyefer to the child as your daughter when your both her parents.

If this was a typical relationship where the mean earned 2/3 and the woman in the relationship earned 1/3 people would be asking why finances aren't shared.

My husband earns 70% more then me, and he pays for everything. He never keeps tabs.

Maybe he really needed the money for his car.

catlover123456789 · Yesterday 22:07

I think you need to sit down and look at your joint expenses including holidays, daughters clubs etc and recalibrate who is paying for what. Whichever way it swings at least it will feel fair. (He should've given you that money imo)

Dancingintherain09 · Yesterday 22:23

I'd stipulate he can hold onto it. However, you will now expect him to pay for his share of the next holiday.

ReadingSoManyThreads · Yesterday 22:43

SonnyHoney · Yesterday 22:05

I was on your side till I read your further comments.

It's a red flag how you initallyefer to the child as your daughter when your both her parents.

If this was a typical relationship where the mean earned 2/3 and the woman in the relationship earned 1/3 people would be asking why finances aren't shared.

My husband earns 70% more then me, and he pays for everything. He never keeps tabs.

Maybe he really needed the money for his car.

Red flag? Oh behave. I refer to my children as "my children" all the time, that doesn't mean they aren't "our children". The OP was speaking as herself, not with DP included in the MN thread, so why would she say "our child"? There was nothing red flag about saying "my daughter".

@LottyLollipop if I were you, if you continue in this relationship, I'd ensure ALL expenses, including holidays and child related things are split, same as the bills. He gets away with nothing from now on.

beautifuldaytosavelives · Yesterday 22:53

Some people don’t have ‘pots’ because they value their financial independence. Doesn’t make them any less of a family. Some people don’t have pots because one party doesn’t contribute to the fullest extent or is a poor money manager. As a strong, independent, earning wife, mother and family member, I prefer to manage my finances accordingly and am fed up reading on here that it demonstrates a lack of partnership.

LottyLollipop · Yesterday 23:40

ReadingSoManyThreads · Yesterday 22:43

Red flag? Oh behave. I refer to my children as "my children" all the time, that doesn't mean they aren't "our children". The OP was speaking as herself, not with DP included in the MN thread, so why would she say "our child"? There was nothing red flag about saying "my daughter".

@LottyLollipop if I were you, if you continue in this relationship, I'd ensure ALL expenses, including holidays and child related things are split, same as the bills. He gets away with nothing from now on.

Thank you x

OP posts:
LottyLollipop · Yesterday 23:44

beautifuldaytosavelives · Yesterday 22:53

Some people don’t have ‘pots’ because they value their financial independence. Doesn’t make them any less of a family. Some people don’t have pots because one party doesn’t contribute to the fullest extent or is a poor money manager. As a strong, independent, earning wife, mother and family member, I prefer to manage my finances accordingly and am fed up reading on here that it demonstrates a lack of partnership.

Thank you! It’s refreshing to hear after reading so many people referring to me as financially abusive!

OP posts:
Leavin4 · Yesterday 23:50

From what you’ve written you don’t sound very together for a couple that have been together 18 years and have a daughter together.

When my husband and I got married we opened a joint account and all our wages went in there, and all our outgoings come out of it. We have had times when each of us has earned a lot more than the other but it doesn’t make a difference because its all our money. We did intend to then transfer the same amount to each of our own accounts for fun money but never got round to it. We discuss any big purchases and pull each other up if we’re spending too much on things that are trivial.

I’m not suggesting you completely mix your finances if you are not married/ not sure about the future of your relationship but I would see it as a symptom of what is going on in the relationship itself. Clearly you need to have some deep and meaningful discussions with your OH.

Good luck.

karinahh · Today 00:05

She is her daughter.
He doesn't contribute towards her.
I really hope the OP is waking up to that.

PrettyPickle · Today 00:33

@LottyLollipop If I were you I would go back through the last year and get a good picture of what you have paid in addition to the money that goes into the joint bank account. Check those figures and then approach him.

I say this because I have done some totting up in my head and if he has £9600py disposable income (£800 PM) , and you earn more than him, lets say you have an annual disposable income of £15000 a year. You only have to pay for a couple of holidays a year totalling circa £6000 combined, before you even start looking at your daughters activities you pay for to be on the same level of disposable income (if not less) as him yet you are bailing him out with car bills etc. I know this is a bit simplistic but you get the idea and I think it will hold far more sway in a discussion on the subject. Maybe not 50/50 but possibly 60/40 spilt for monies in the joint bank account or add in a contingency to the joint bank account for daughters activities and the holidays.

Vaxtable · Today 00:36

I would start booking the holidays just for you and your child. He pays his own way

when he says he can’t afford it tell him to get another job

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · Today 00:41

So he has over £9600 a year disposable income after bills etc... yet you pay for all your DDs expenses, holidays, afterschool etc.

How much is left in your bank account at the end of the month (You don't have to say here but I'm just saying think about it to yourself) but if you are close to the knuckle on this... something is NOT right. also.. do you have credit cards which you cannot pay off in full at the end of each month.

If so, then you are OVER subsidising him and getting into debt doing it and he needs to cough up. How much interest/bank charges have you had to pay in that case? (again you don't need to tell us the figures) If he was contributing more fairly, then you wouldn't have to pay so much in interest. You can't borrow to subsidise him? (Not saying that you are borrowing of course... just that its a hidden cost in this equation)

Let me guess he has some hobby that he MUST pay towards... Do you also have similar hobbies.

He's entitled - to be effectively saying "I earn less so I get to keep everything and paying for things is up to her. "

amraa · Today 01:16

Ur mistake was giving ur husbands bank details, you should’ve given one account and said as you’re a family, all payment is to come into one joint account, they won’t know if it’s a sole or joint account. Second option would’ve been to give a second alternate account of yours, doesn’t matter that the name won’t match up, payment will still get set and received

I don’t understand how ur dh doesn’t feel embarrassed freeloading off you, where’s his manhood!

Hummingbird10 · Today 01:19

It's an abuse of your generosity AB's kindness. He is your partner not your child. I can imagine this must have hurt.,

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