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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

He says his money is his money as he earns it, I don't have the right to question it??!!

94 replies

Mindovermatter · 20/09/2010 13:42

Hello I have been lurking for sometime and never wanted to post before, but need help. My DH is breadwinner, im a SAHM. We fell out over a mobile phone bill (mine) which was high. The account is online and he refuses to let me look at it so I can understand why it is so high. He pays all bills. I feel I have to ask for money for hairdressers and such like. Im sad as I hate the way this makes me feel, I don't feel his equal. Please help?!

OP posts:
spikeycow · 20/09/2010 22:41

So you own the house eh? Tell him he needs to start paying you rent, then you will cover your own bills. What a bellend

spikeycow · 20/09/2010 22:43

How much would he be paying in rent or mortgage out of his precious salary if it wasn't for you? BELLEND

verytellytubby · 20/09/2010 22:45

Charge him rent. Take control of your finances. Insist on a joint account.

He's being a controlling wanker but you are in a strong position owning a house and car. Say you need the car and he should buy his own. He can afford it.

spikeycow · 20/09/2010 22:50

He drives YOUR car aswell?! Shock x 100000000
Seriously, he needs to appreciate you much more than he does. What position would he be in without your back up. Assert yourself and point out to him that you aren't living off him as he makes out, in fact he'd be much worse off without you. He has a really selfish attitude and is full of his own self importance, with no justification as is usually the case

dignified · 20/09/2010 23:05

Op , this really isnt ok. Presumably he sees the house / car as " ours " but his wages as his own . I know people are saying tell him this , insist on that , i presume youve tried and tried to no avail, hence you posting on here. I sympathise , mine wouldnt budge either , like you , i wanted a solution.

There wasnt one , because it really isnt about money at all, its about them feeling more entitled , having you be answerable to him so he can question you like a child while they feel in control. Its just symbolic of deeper problems , and it IS financial abuse and controlling behaviour. He doesnt see you as an equal.

My advice is to talk to him again. Failing that , i would take a long hard honest look at how the rest of my marriage is , and i would seek counselling. My EH earned very well, like you we didnt get tax credits , and even the CB was paid into his account . Now im divorcing him , im a full time student living off grants , i know theres a big thing about how hard it is being a single parent / student, but i honestly feel rich ! Again , i dont beleive that this is the only problem in your marriage , whether your aware of it or not.

buttonmoon78 · 21/09/2010 05:43

I truly am crap with money so the control my DH has over our money is for the good of our family (we've been in schtook before because of me Sad).

However, I still get my own account (no OD facility) and money to spend and I still get all the food / pet food / contact lens / petrol money (for MY car which HE bought me).

I am a SAHM and there are off days when he thinks I just sit around drinking tea all day but generally he knows that I am a good mum doing the best job I can.

However, sometimes when I read about others lives I get sucked in to believing that I should have more financial access & control. Bottom line - I shouldn't. I would fritter it away.

Why have you got a bad credit rating if you own your own house and car? The worst credit rating will repair itself eventually. Believe me, I know.

AnyFucker · 21/09/2010 07:58

I am not sure that OP even said she had a bad credit rating ??

marantha · 21/09/2010 08:19

You know what, I sometimes think that people do not realise at all what they are doing when they get married.
When a couple marry, they are agreeing to share their lives and everything in it.
Your husband is being a bit stupid if he can't see this.
The divorce courts certainly do.
And I shall tell you this: your unpaid work as a married SAHM WILL be taken into account in the event of a split as having worth should you and husband split.

I am not suggesting you divorce for one minute, but it's probably worth reminding him of the facts as a wake-up call to him.

nikkershaw · 21/09/2010 08:21

does he earn lots? to be honest my dp didn't earn much when we had first son and we just helped each other out, didn't have joint account still don't

HRHPrincessReality · 21/09/2010 08:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bonsoir · 21/09/2010 08:34

LOL at OP. My DP checks our internet (inc telephone) account online from time to time and queries whether I don't have a secret mobile somewhere as he cannot believe how infrequently/little I use the phone!

kitcat83 · 21/09/2010 08:47

hey mindovermatter! Can I just say that I can totaly understand your frustrations as I had almost the exact same problem when we had our DS. We had agreed b4 his birth that he would be putting in a monthly amount to cover the housekeeping, although after me asking a few times it just never happened!( I had to ask him for money and excplain exactly what it was for!!!!!) It felt like I was a child again and asking mum for money Blush. It caused many arguments about equality!! For whatever reason he seemed to resent me for being a SAHM even though "wouldnt want son looked after by anyone else". I think it was because we had been financially independant up til then and all of a sudden all the pressure was on him to get the money in. Some men just need to know that they have your support, they are just built differently! In my opinion there is no excuse for this behaviour, you need to talk to him about how you feel and try to find a solution that suits you both as equals. Hard I know, it may take a few talks to get this sorted but just keep trying. I have now managed to sort a joint account and run my own business from home whilst looking after DS so I have my own financial independance. I put some of my earnings in my personal account for ME. The joint account is for all bills, we have worked out that DH pays in a certain percentage for bills and I pay some in too. The joint account is only used for bills and not for little personal bits. We are two years down the line now and my next step is to get him to like me now put all the money in one account together- for the greater good, we are all working for the same thing after all
I am not saying this is what everyone does !or that this may work for you, I just found that because I had some more independance and DH had some of the pressure off it was a happier balance. How old is your DC? Men can be an odd lot sometimes and talking about it with them is the only way of finding out how he is being so difficult and making you feel like you have no control over your life. Unfortunately for him it is no longer 1950 and the SAHM is different in 2010! Good Luck Grin

MorrisZapp · 21/09/2010 16:41

Good points HRH. Some people are truly crap with money and need to be hassled into doing the right thing.

My DP certainly doesn't control my money at all, but since I met him him, he has made me take out a pension, make a will, and start a savings plan. I would have done all these things eventually on my own but he has been brilliant at showing me a good financial example and supporting me in being sensible.

My sister has a DP who has spent his entire adult life in debt due to silly spending - she now has full control of his money, becuase if she didn't they might risk getting into further trouble.

I think the thread has moved on now, clearly OP is in a desperate situation with a controlling man, but in general, it can be ok to have some measure of control over another person's finances, if that is what both parties want, and the alternative is debt, repossession, poverty etc.

Mindovermatter · 24/09/2010 08:11

Well it turns out that my DH has money problems, hmmn!!!!!! He confessed because he wanted a loan to pay off debts and wanted me to help him fill in form etc, anyway he was turned down for loan of ten grand, not sure why??!! Told him that we need to find out why?? Regarding mobile phone bill he rang mobile phone company with me present in room to find out about why high bill and what tariff i was on etc. He is asleep right now as he is on nights, but he is off this weekend, so really need a proper chat. Part of the problem is due to his shifts we are like ships that pass in the night and never get much time to talk when he isn't tired etc. Therefore I normally ha ve to wait for the right time to chat to him bout stuff.

OP posts:
CatPower · 24/09/2010 11:41

Why on earth does he need a £10k loan? New bathroom/kitchen/car? If he's earning too much to qualify for WTC or CTC then why would he need a further £10k, esp with today's ridiculous interest rates?

Something is most definitely up.

buttonmoon78 · 24/09/2010 14:21

I agree - something's not adding up right here. I hope that it all ends ok Mindovermatter.

FortunateHamster · 24/09/2010 15:53

Getting a loan to pay off debts just leads to more debt. He'd be better off looking into ways to reduce payments and/or pay off the biggest debt first. Forums like Money Saving Expert have great sections where people will readily help work out ways to save etc via SOAs (Statement of Affairs). Seriously, a loan is a bad idea.

More seriously, if he is in debt, he has no right to be angry with you over a phone bill, and is presumably only doing that because he's really upset/in denial about his own financial problems. He has to face up to the debt, not be controlling over you about it, and in fact work with you honestly to see best how to handle your money. He might earn the money, but presumably also spends a lot/most of it.

Best of luck.

PerArduaAdNauseum · 24/09/2010 18:40

Let us know how it goes? Maybe we can provide suggestions/examples once you've got to the bottom of what's going on?

mamas12 · 24/09/2010 23:11

I would take him to see CAB they are the people to advise on debt problems. You can't get a loan to pay of debts. What is he trying to bamboozle you with mindover.

I really hope you you get to the bottom of this and stop making excuses and sit down and get all the paperwork out and sort it together.

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