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Husband is a financial liability

67 replies

Rosybud88 · 25/11/2024 15:13

I’m thoroughly fed up and I don’t know what to do.

My husband and I have been married for 2 years. We got engaged within 6 months and were married within a year. I’m currently 34 weeks pregnant with our second child.

He has been self employed the whole time I have known him and I have been happy to cover financial gaps where needed and we blend our money together.

What has really started to annoy me is his approach to money. You won’t ever find him without a beer in his hand or vape in his mouth. I didn’t know until we were married that he owed almost £30k to HMRC for failing to manage his tax returns properly. We got a last minute deal on the wedding which he said he’d pay for (I didn’t want to take it because I personally couldn’t fund it) and at the last hour I had to get a loan to cover the wedding because he didn’t have the money. Just a couple of examples - he’s always struggling for money despite earning a good amount. He just wastes money on crap - mainly alcohol. I have had to bail us out multiple times and I have several credit cards and an overdraft to show for it.

I have repeatedly done monthly budgets which he won’t stick to, he won’t even look at the spreadsheet, hundreds go missing each month and I’m really losing my rag now. He refuses to talk about money without getting angry and he just won’t work with me on it. He makes regular digs about him being the only one bringing the income in but both of our children were planned and we agreed that I would stay at home for their first years. This had been budgeted for but of course he won’t stick to the budget.

I love him and have no desire to leave him but I have taken back to back maternity leaves to have our children and I myself have taken a big cut to do this. My maternity pay is frankly crap but I have sacrificed everything - I don’t buy myself a thing and felt guilty even buying anything for my hospital bag. Even if I wanted to leave him I literally couldn’t afford it at this point.

He hasn’t been paid today, not his fault, the fault of the ridiculous company he has been doing work for which I have been asking him to leave for months. So our rent won’t be paid, debt payments won’t be paid and I’m going to struggle to buy food. I’m at my wits end really because if he’d have stuck to budgets, half of the debt would have been gone and I’d have less to worry about.

I’m desperately trying to stay calm due to pregnancy but I am in tears. I have nowhere to turn, no more money to bail us out with. I can’t discuss this with family or friends because I’m genuinely so embarassed. I feel I have been so stupid in bailing us so many times, it’s become clear that he’s run to his parents for bail outs regularly which they do for him. He has a definite issue with alcohol and little regard for our situation. He walked through the door with a £22 bottle of red wine the other week as a treat for not drinking in the week which just floored me.

I don’t know what to do for best anymore. If anyone can offer any guidance or words of wisdom I’d appreciate because currently I feel like an idiot. And I’m not entitled to claim anything so universal credit etc won’t be an option for me. I really do not want to enter into debt management etc and have my credit file ruined.

He can’t take on any debt because - surprise surprise - his credit file is awful.

OP posts:
romdowa · 25/11/2024 15:18

Divorce him , he's going to drag you and your children down along with him. Time to cut your losses here , love won't pay the bills

MillyMichaelson · 25/11/2024 15:21

Mate, unfortunately this is your life now and it'll only get worse with a man who doesn't give a single shit. And puts beer above paying the bills.

I'm really sorry.

Mrsttcno1 · 25/11/2024 15:22

romdowa · 25/11/2024 15:18

Divorce him , he's going to drag you and your children down along with him. Time to cut your losses here , love won't pay the bills

Yep this unfortunately, especially with kids involved.

Mistakes can happen and people can accidentally find themselves in a tricky situation, but he’s actively choosing to live this way despite being given a budget already worked out for him to fix it. Your options are simply to stay and accept this is yours & your kids lives, or leave.

3luckystars · 25/11/2024 15:22

He is sinking, don’t go down with him. I’m sorry he tricked you. All the best with your children x

Bjorkdidit · 25/11/2024 15:23

I really do not want to enter into debt management etc and have my credit file ruined

TBH you might as divorce him and if you still have debt in your name get advice about a debt relief order due to your financially abusive STBXH.

Get it over and done with and it will all drop off your credit file in 6 years otherwise this is your life for the next 10/20/30+ years.

MrsKwazi · 25/11/2024 15:24

You have to leave him OP. You may love him but love is not always enough. Sorry things have turned out like this, but he will absolutely drag you down. You might be better off single anyway, have you checked what you’re entitled to?
He drinks a lot - is he an alcoholic?
Where does his money go, is he gambling?

Supersimkin7 · 25/11/2024 15:28

Don’t enable this to continue with the silence of embarrassment.

Youve got nothing to be ashamed of, although it doesn’t feel like that.

Rather the opposite - you’re keeping the show on the road against some very hard opposition.

Talk to his parents.

BodyKeepingScore · 25/11/2024 15:31

You need to prioritise being able to provide for your children and leave him.

Paying for the wedding should have been a huge red flag in itself.

He has learned nothing from his previous mistakes and now you and your children are going to continue to pay the price for his stupidity unless you leave.

DaisyChain505 · 25/11/2024 15:32

You’ve asked him to change, he hasn’t.

This is who he is and what he does.

So you either put up or leave.

I know which one I’d do.

Lampzade · 25/11/2024 15:32

romdowa · 25/11/2024 15:18

Divorce him , he's going to drag you and your children down along with him. Time to cut your losses here , love won't pay the bills

This in a nutshell
You can stay as long as you want but things will not get any better. This will be your life
Stress or Stability ? Your choice

CowTown · 25/11/2024 15:33

If he refuses to engage in a family budget, there is nothing you can do. You can only control what you do:

  1. Take out further credit cards/loans in your name to plug the hole.
  2. Go back to work a few weeks after the baby is born.
  3. Do nothing. Leave it to him to dig himself out of the hole.
  4. Leave.

Why aren’t his parents bailing him out this time?

gldd · 25/11/2024 15:38

Incredible that you would choose to get married to and then have children with a man so patently unsuitable for the responsibility of a marriage or bringing up children.. [shakes head]. Cue the usual 'blah blah, he's such a loving husband and a great dad". No, he's not.

Does he at least recognise the problem? Would he be amenable to you managing the family finances with an (equal) allowance after outgoings for you both for discretionary spending? That would be a start, at least.

pinkyredrose · 25/11/2024 15:38

If he won't stop wasting money your marriage is dead, your resentment of him will build and eventually you won't be able to stand the sight of him.

Start contingency plans now, you'll need them one day.

GrumpyMuleFan · 25/11/2024 15:39

Hi OP. Sorry to hear about your situation, it sounds stressful and horrible. I agree with all the others: you have to leave and move on. This is a messy way to live, on so many levels. As well as lack of ££, credit issues and the stress. It will have a huge impact on how you parent your DC and the values you bring them up with. I don't think he sounds like a good role model or partner. The bit about being the only bread winner would be enough to finish any marriage off. Cut your ties and move on.

WickedlyCharmed · 25/11/2024 15:41

He hasn’t been paid today, not his fault, the fault of the ridiculous company he has been doing work for which I have been asking him to leave for months.

I call bullshit on this, he’s lying to you.

GranPepper · 25/11/2024 15:43

BodyKeepingScore · 25/11/2024 15:31

You need to prioritise being able to provide for your children and leave him.

Paying for the wedding should have been a huge red flag in itself.

He has learned nothing from his previous mistakes and now you and your children are going to continue to pay the price for his stupidity unless you leave.

I tend to agree. I'm sorry you're in this situation but you already know in your heart your childrens' welfare is paramount. It's different putting your own welfare at the bottom of the list (although ideally you shouldn't but it's hard if you feel you love the person) but is this the life you want your children to experience? I wish you well. You aren't in a good situation but I can't see your partner helping you improve it unfortunately

Hols23 · 25/11/2024 15:48

No matter what his good points are, they're not worth living like this. Give him a final ultimatum (which by the sounds of things he won't stick to) then leave and divorce him.

Don't wait until you can "afford to leave" as it won't happen while you're constantly bailing him out. You can't afford to stay.

Bjorkdidit · 25/11/2024 15:49

WickedlyCharmed · 25/11/2024 15:41

He hasn’t been paid today, not his fault, the fault of the ridiculous company he has been doing work for which I have been asking him to leave for months.

I call bullshit on this, he’s lying to you.

That might be true. Companies often manage their cashflow by delaying payments to subcontractors. Or they're run by people like the OPs DH who pay bills when they feel like it. Or they don't actually have any money to pay their subcontractors.

DP was (genuinely) paid 3 months late for one job once. It was only when he sent a letter before action to tell them he was taking them to the small claims court that they finally coughed up.

glassof · 25/11/2024 15:56

You want to stay at home with the kids, but you know he can't manage money. You are having a second child, although he has proved again and again that this is who he is.
You say you don't want to leave, but you know he won't change. What's the point to the post?!
Do your kids a favour and leave. Do you want them to live a life like this? Have a marriage like this?

calmandcollected101 · 25/11/2024 16:06

This won't get any better

My heart breaks for you and your children.
You will never be first.

Get out whilst you can.

LivinInYourBigGlassHouseWithAView · 25/11/2024 16:19

Divorce him. Don't let him drag you down with him.

He hopefully won't be entitled to much of any income/money you have due to the short marriage, plus you can say he wasn't honest with you from the beginning and it's all now come to light.

Good luck.

Pipconkermash · 25/11/2024 16:25

He is totally destroying your life.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 25/11/2024 16:25

I would divorce him pronto. He will drag you and your children under by getting further and further in debt ...

unsync · 25/11/2024 16:31

You have to leave him. Don't let your children live with the insecurity brought about by an alcoholic, financially abusive father. You may think things can't get worse, I can assure you they can. I used to bail my ex out. We still ended up with Bailiffs at the door. He owes me £120k that I lent him from an inheritance to pay off credit cards and SA tax debt. I know I will never get that back. Give your head a wobble, cut your losses and leave.

WilmaFlintstone1 · 25/11/2024 16:41

I have one like this.

tbh he is good in other ways but I long ago realised I was going to be the one who paid all the bills.

realistically you have two options. One is to say “this isn’t what want” and divorce him or alternatively accept the bills will always come down to you and make the best of it…..but only if he is exceptional in other parts of the marriage.

My DH is lovely with our autistic son, quite happy to cook, clean and take care of other stuff. I accepted this and that I would sort the bills but it’s not for everyone.

We have been married for 25years and it works but only because he picks up other areas where I struggle. I have ADHD and am autistic, weirdly it all works okay for us but may not for you.