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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

Money - is dh being selfish?

299 replies

Realitea · 05/03/2017 09:00

I admit I am a spend spend spend kind of person. I have been in debt in the past and dh helped me out when I met him. I'm really bad with money! To make sure we don't get into that problem again he's taken full control of spending right down to the supermarket shop.
It's nice in a way that I don't have to worry about any bills anymore and I have a little job that takes care of clothes or toys or any extras.
However now dh wants me to help out financially too and basically either give it to him as a contribution or spend it on food. I think that's fair seeing as we're a couple and it would be selfish of me to keep it all.
But this is where I have the problem. Dh has saved quite a bit now and is talking about going abroad to somewhere I don't want to go so he's going with a friend. He's also talking about going on a fishing trip for the weekend.
I'm trying to find a holiday for us all (2 dcs) this summer and he's saying he won't spend more than £1000. I can't find anything decent and it hurts knowing he has the money but he's not touching that because he wants to go away and do his own thing.
He also really needs a new car but is counting on my inheritance that's coming soon to pay or help with that.
I wonder if he's being selfish with money and he says as he earned it he can spend it how he likes and at least everything else is taken care of.
I find it hurtful that I've always had a dream to visit a certain place but that's not taken into account. And I still don't drive but if we had the money I would learn.
Is this selfish of him or am I just being selfish?

OP posts:
BantyCustards · 06/03/2017 18:32

Yup. Emotionally abusive.

I bet he accuses you of thinking and feeling how he thinks you think and feel and that you start arguments, yes?

You feel like you cannot bring up any issue without it all becoming your fault and you end up apologising or feeling like you're going crazy or somehow your issue will become a litany of his issues and how hard done by he is and how much of a nag/critic you are and his poor feelings are hurt...

Realitea · 06/03/2017 18:34

Yes that's definitely it

OP posts:
Realitea · 06/03/2017 18:34

I think he is probably one of the major factors to me having anxiety

OP posts:
Loopytiles · 06/03/2017 18:36

Abusive, OP.

You can't find compromises with someone who thinks and behaves like this, because they are not behaving as you and other reasonable people do, and do not have your or your DCs' interests at heart.

Avoiding confrontation is fine: let him think things can bumble on. gives you the chance to think, research and makes plan.

BantyCustards · 06/03/2017 18:36

And if you get angry or upset and shout you're the abusive one...

NameChange30 · 06/03/2017 18:41

That's 6 too many, OP Flowers

Please, please call Women's Aid on 0808 2000 247. They won't push you to do anything you're not ready to do, but they will support and advise you.

Do you have any close family or friends who can offer real life support?

TheCraicDealer · 06/03/2017 18:47

Oh pet [hugs] You've done a great job- raised two kids on a shoestring, kept working and run a household on whatever he deigns to give you. So how can he (or you!) say you can't deal with money? You've been doing it for years. Don't keep running yourself down.

He seems to be the type of person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Because he earns a salary he can attach a monetary "value" to his work, but no-one pays you for cleaning your own home, doing the grocery shopping, washing his clothes, providing childcare, cooking his dinner. You can't work more because you are doing all that to make his life easier and so he doesn't have to pay someone to do those things. Why should you be scraping money together for a coffee with a friend because you've sacrificed your earning potential to facilitate him and his odd working hours? How on earth can he sit by and watch you pay for necessities for the kids on the little you earn and still bitch about how little you bring to the table?

If he wants to play silly buggers I'd tot up all the hours I spent running round after him/the kids every week and multiply it by the minimum wage (£7.20 at present), then ask him if he thinks I still don't contribute to the household, or if it's "fair" that I'm expected to put in the same as him.

DP and I are sorting out finances for our first home together and yes, we're getting a joint account. But as he earns 1/3rd more PA than me it wouldn't be fair to split things down the middle, 50:50. We're each putting in a % of our salary, so that each partner receives a certain level of spends proportional to their earnings, but the higher earner is also contributing more. I don't think that's feasible in a scenario where one is effectively a SAHP/v low earner, and one is ringfencing a large amount of money to spend on a jolly at the expense of a trip all four members of the family would benefit from. I'm so angry on your behalf!

Realitea · 06/03/2017 19:09

It's really annoying isn't it!
I will speak to woman's aid tomorrow from work.
It's time I did something about this.
It's very scary. I feel really sad right now. The dcs were expecting a family holiday in the summer but that probably won't happen now if I go ahead with this.

OP posts:
MamaHanji · 06/03/2017 19:10

'He would be happy for me to get driving lessons out of my money'

He is being controlling and beyond selfish. He's counting on your inheritance for a new car for him??! When I met my partner; he had around £10,000 in debt from a gambling addiction he was still battling. Around £300 a month goes toward paying off various debts of his, and there's no way I say to him 'no you don't get to buy this or that because you spunked loads of money on the dogs and now we are £300 a month worse off'

At the beginning I took full control of all the finances as he couldn't be trusted with money in the bank. He had driving lessons and we went in a small holiday. My point is...you are entitled to your share of the money and that includes a bloody holiday of your choice that isn't with his mate.

Failing that, leave the bastard for being financially abusive.

Realitea · 06/03/2017 19:11

And what if he wants to take dd abroad this summer without me? It would be terrifying for me as she's so young and he has no idea how to parent properly as I've always done everything. Would I have the right to stop him?

OP posts:
HelenDenver · 06/03/2017 19:15

No, probably not, as he has PR.

But if you split, he'd also have her on his own sometimes so he would learn!

TheCraicDealer · 06/03/2017 19:17

Is he likely to do that? A trip with a little one you're not used to running after isn't actually much of a holiday at all, and he'll probably know that fine rightly. Call his bluff and tell him he'll have to up the level of childcare he's doing in order to get used to it.

RebelRogue · 06/03/2017 19:30

If he let me have access to the account and trusted me I'd be happy but there is still the problem of him spending on himself and still seeing it as his account.

If he'd allow you to see that it would be a good first step towards finding a fair compromise. I doubt he will though,as knowledge is power and he doesn't want you to have any. Not even a little bit. I mean as far as you knew you were only just making ends meet with the aid of (your) tax credits,and you would've believed the same if it wasn't for the lads holiday. Add in the extra thousand that he's "willing" to give you for the family holiday,and how much money does he actually have put away while u have to beg for 4 quid for a bath bomb?

Montane50 · 06/03/2017 20:16

So you worked 12 hour shifts in order to pay the xmas money back to him?
You're self employed and building your business up slowly....this has got to be the understatement of the year! You earlier said you earn £40 per week-how slowly are you building?? Im actually not 100% convinced that everything you write is accurate but shall watch with interest. Fwiw we have a joint account for household bills, and we put equal amounts in it. Anything left in our separate accounts is upto us how its spent/saved.

Sounds like you need a total shake up re employment and division of the household chores/childcare.

NameChange30 · 06/03/2017 20:20

"Im actually not 100% convinced that everything you write is accurate"

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?! Are you accusing the OP of lying?

And the award for most supportive reply goes to.... Hmm

Kr1stina · 06/03/2017 20:24

That's helpful montane
If you think the Op is a troll, report her.

Montane50 · 06/03/2017 20:28

I didn't accuse that, i stated that im not 100% convinced everything is accurate. Im not.

RebelRogue · 06/03/2017 20:36

Montane op is a self employed cleaner from what i recall. So i guess she started with one hour here and there around her husband's shifts and is (slowly) building up more clients and/or hours.
As for the xmas work she doesn't say if it was in her business or season work. Places like argos for example will hire people just for xmas on long shifts to cope with the extra demand.

greenberet · 06/03/2017 21:18

This is E & FA - no doubt about it - get yourself out OP Or you will be like me - supported DH for 20 years and it is still 'his' money - no recognition for what I have contributed - I can now get back to work despite being over 50 and suffering with depression. You are right about him contributing to your anxiety - your body is trying to tell you something! You are effectively "on your own" from what you say - he is giving you nothing - speak to women's aid as others have suggested - his views will not change - he has an inherent flaw in that he only values someone by their monetary value - he has everything to lose Whereas you have everything to gain. Xx

Realitea · 06/03/2017 21:44

It was seasonal work. From 8-8. It was mind numbing but I actually quite enjoyed it. Since then I've started my cleaning job and living so rurally it's hard to build up much business but as more people are coming along to the area it's slowly growing.

OP posts:
Realitea · 06/03/2017 21:51

Anyway we've had a very long talk and dh has taken on board what I've said. Yes he did fire back as much as he could about my bad points (god forbid I once spent £60 on a food shop that didn't need doing)
But he's hopefully realised I'm not tolerating this anymore and it has to change. He's putting the account in both names with us both having a debit card. I said I'm not asking to be given money but just be trusted and treated equally. I'm not going to go out and spend it I just want some equality and transparency.
If I need the money for emergencies it's there.
He's also dropped the idea of the lads holiday.
We will agree a budget and be reasonable with what's important and must be included.
I'm not feeling that convinced but I'm going to see how it goes before taking any further steps to ltb.
Let's see if he can change his thinking.
Also he explained that the money he puts away is business money which is separate to any other money. That bit made me a bit confused but it kind of makes sense I think as most businesses do this (he's self employed)

OP posts:
RebelRogue · 06/03/2017 21:57

Just make sure that he does and not just saying that so he can pacify you. I'd also wonder if while he sets this up he'll also amend what money "goes" in.

RebelRogue · 06/03/2017 21:59

P.s. I also know people with their own business that on paper (for tax,benefits and accounts purposes) make 1k a month. But they have 3k more monthly going into the "business".

NameChange30 · 06/03/2017 22:10

OP, well done for having the conversation, it sounds as if you were assertive which can't necessarily have been easy. In theory he has agreed to some positive changes so here's hoping it will work out. Just keep an eye on it and be aware if things don't actually change or if they slip back to how they were. I'm still concerned about his tendency towards control and abuse - he might be able to tone it down for a while but not indefinitely. Keep your head screwed on.

disappearingfish · 06/03/2017 22:23

Sounds more positive OP.

Putting away business money makes sense if he is self employed. The advice is to save 30% of what you earn to pay your tax bill.

If you are going to have more equality in your relationship that should include him having more responsibility for the children. It's so sad that he's never "properly parented" your DC.