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Relationships

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

Think I need to cancel my wedding

329 replies

RaspberryRiceCakes · 25/05/2019 09:52

Ok so have names changed just for this as don't want it connected to other posts.

DP and I are getting married in August this year. We have been together for 12 years, have 1 DC ages 2, and we own our home jointly.

For years he has been a bit secretive about money, got a bit weird if I asked how much money he had left over after bills etc. We have a joint account and we pay equal amounts into it so not like he doesn't pay his way, but he just whacks everything else on a credit card...coffee, petrol, food shop etc. It builds up and up until it's out of control. I eventually find out about it, we figure a way to pay it off and then he promises to be better with his money, cancel the card etc. He has pretty average credit despite debt years ago but he can only get high interest rate credit cards also so the payments are usually very high. I on the other hand have very good credit.

This cycle continues over and over and we now have an 18k loan which is a consolidation of a number of his credit cards/finance and some other unfortunate large spends when we were short of cash because he took a large pay cut -another thread entirely-. He now has a better paid job again and we are doing ok financially. I thought this was it though and all the debt was just this one manageable monthly payment. We had a very frank conversation months ago after the last lot of credit card debt was discovered. We discussed remortgaging later in the year and take some equity out of the house to get rid of it. However I have since found out he has 2 credit cards each with 1K+ on (he told me he only had about £300 on 1, and last month he took out an 8.5k loan!!! He has at least paid off the credit cards as the payment on the loan is much less than the credit cards, but I don't know how he was planning on explaining the extra 6k. He has also booked us a holiday for next year which he doesn't know I've seen the paperwork for. That still leaves 4k. I also don't know how he was planning on explaining the loan when we came to remortgage.

I first got suspicious because he started spending money on clothes, not expensive really but I know he wouldn't have much spare cash. He also gave me his card details to pay for something for the wedding which he said was his credit card (that we would pay off with the money we were waiting for) but they were in fact is debit card details, this was £500 and I know he definitely wouldn't have that much spare.

Our wedding is costing under 3k and we have had money gifted to help with this anyway so no financial pressure there. There's less than 1K left to pay.

I have confronted him about it last night and he has done his usual deny deny deny. I haven't shown my hand yet on how I know 100% (bank statement) but I've told him something has shown up on my credit report as he is a linked associate. Still deny deny deny. He's stated he was 'just looking' and applied for one but cancelled it before he received any money as the rate was different after he'd gone through the application.

We didn't speak for the rest of the night and this morning has been frosty. He's gone out for a bit and I've sent him a long text basically saying I'm not angry about the actual loan, I'm angry about the denial. That he must thing I'm a right mug, I'm insulted he things I'm so dumb. I said I'm not prepared to enter a marriage based on lies and he's basically text back saying, we'll make sure you do it today and text everyone to let them know. So he's calling my bluff.

Still complete and utter denial 🤷‍♀️ like, HE is the dumb one isn't he?? What do I do? I really don't want to end things, I love him very much and things are good in every other aspect. But I just don't get why he takes me for such a mug when it comes to money/hidden debt.

(Also large debt can seriously effect my job...I've applied for a new job internally and will have to go through more strict vetting if I get it, and large debt can apparently leave you open to bribes so I would probably fail it Sad)

Sorry for the extremely long post.

OP posts:
JammyGem · 25/05/2019 11:50

I think you've already realised this, but it would be a huge mistake for you to marry this man. You will never be able to trust him.

EileenAlanna · 25/05/2019 11:52

You'd be sensible to cancel the wedding. I'd go further & suggest you look at living apart for a time, if possible selling the house & buying somewhere for you & DC to live with your share of the equity and a mortgage in your own name. If he defaults on loan payments the address he's registered at is blacklisted too I believe, so your credit worthiness is affected. If you decide to continue the relationship during this time you & he get to see clearly what state his finances are in & whether or not he's able to control his spending/borrowing. It may seem extreme - I suppose it is really - but you've already invested 12 years in this man & this is where you are today. As others have said this gets worse not better. I had similar problems with my ex & my only regret is that I didn't end the marriage sooner.

Unburnished · 25/05/2019 11:52

Over £100 on clothes for a toddler which will be worn for barely a year before being outgrown.

He’s living a life he cant afford on a modest salary of £25k and large debts to maintain. Is he very concerned with status and appearance? Are his friends well off? It looks as if he’s trying to keep up with the Joneses.

itsnotallbbqsandshrimp · 25/05/2019 11:53

Op he's doing what his dad did. It might not be gambling, but eventually he will leave you penniless too.

titchy · 25/05/2019 11:55

I do know him well enough to know it's definitely not gambling or anything unsavoury.

I think it's clear you DONT know him well enough at all...

Fluffycloudland77 · 25/05/2019 11:56

It’s a bit rich to not want you to control the money, truth be told he wants you to buzz off so he can carry on pretending he’s rich.

Unburnished · 25/05/2019 11:57

Is he very naive op? The type who is very friendly, open, loving and generous? If so, I can see how he could find himself in this situation as, essentially, he believes people and is optimistic and generous, to his detriment.

Knackeredmommy · 25/05/2019 11:57

Don't marry him, his debt will become yours and he will build up more, he is denying it so isn't ready to start tackling it. You don't even know if that's all the debt he has. You need to get to the bottom of that before marrying him.

Smokesandeats · 25/05/2019 12:01

Raspberry, I think you should tell your mother about this so that you have her complete support when you cancel the wedding. It sounds like she will be so horrified that he has hidden debt from you that she won’t question your decision to end the relationship.

wonderwhat · 25/05/2019 12:02

You say you know him well enough to know it’s not gambling or anything like that but actually you don’t really do you? You like to think you do, but the truth is you don’t know him or what’s he is capable of. He’s secretive and had a loan out behind your back and even though he’s drowning in debt, he booked a holiday! You didn’t know THAT until you discovered it so why would you think it’s not gambling. Where has 20k gone?

WhoKnewBeefStew · 25/05/2019 12:02

Don't marry him, his debt will become yours and he will build up more, he is denying it so isn't ready to start tackling it. You don't even know if that's all the debt he has. You need to get to the bottom of that before marrying him.

This with bells on it

JeezOhGeeWhizz · 25/05/2019 12:03

No-one on here is going to tell you to stay with this particular individual.
And the love of your life wouldn't treat you like this either.
You know what you need to do.
Cancel it and ditch this loser.

cuppycakey · 25/05/2019 12:03

That's why he doesn't want me to control the finances, because he saw what it did to his DM.

It really isn't the reason why.....

whatthehe11 · 25/05/2019 12:06

I think you need to sit back and decide whether this continuous cycle is a dealbreaker as it seems that whilst he tries, old habits die hard.

prettywhiteguitar · 25/05/2019 12:06

I think you will always be wondering what he’s really doing if you marry him.

Why not delay and see if he can cancel the holiday, if he can get counselling and wants to change marry him after he’s stopped lying to you and putting your family in financial ruin

BruceAndNosh · 25/05/2019 12:08

No one wants someone else to be in control of their money.
But he's shown that he has NO control himself.

The debt would be bad enough but the LYING about the debt would be the end for me.

Someone who has tried to mend their overspending and failed is a bigger risk than someone who has never tried - the latter still might be able to reform, the former has shown that they can't.

prettywhiteguitar · 25/05/2019 12:11

Btw I’ve had 25k of debt and faced problems because of work and extended maternity leave, I am paying if off heavily now as I can afford it so I totally understand how you can get yourself into money problems easily. However whilst I am paying off the debt I haven’t booked a 6k holiday!!! I have small treats but am focused on getting rid of it by the end of next year so you cannot seriously have spending sprees and be committed to paying back debt.

He is living beyond his means and no matter what you try until he accepts his actual earnings you will always be paying off his debts

BarbarianMum · 25/05/2019 12:17

OP I know that it is hard to hear but this relationship has DISASTER written all over it in letters 10' high. The pain and cost of cancelling the wedding will be as nothing to the pain and cost you'll incur if you go ahead and marry this man. You'll end up impoverished, divorced and hating him.

And contrary to the above, its not just about the lying, though that's bad enough, its about the lifestyle of worry, debt and insecurity you'll be buying into.

RaspberryRiceCakes · 25/05/2019 12:19

You are all talking so much sense. It's good to have me thoughts and feeling confirmed. Thank you.

OP posts:
RaspberryRiceCakes · 25/05/2019 12:19

My wedding ring had just been delivered and it's too small. Maybe that's a sign.

OP posts:
Robinthecaveman · 25/05/2019 12:20

My ex managed to hide his financial dishonesty for many years, right up to the point he was arrested for ruining the company he worked for with his dishonesty there. I was tied into to his debts (forged signatures on re-mortgages, opened bank accounts and run up huge overdrafts which were then consolidated into loans. )

I ended up divorced, homeless and it took years of sheer hard work, anger and determination to extricate myself from the debt he had tied me into. I wish to god I’d had some idea before marrying him that he was capable of such deceit, control and irresponsibility but I really didn’t. He hid it behind a very convincing wall of concern, care, good works etc. Everyone was taken in and it was only when every awful thing unfolded I realised I had no idea who he really was.

Although it’s awful to feel you can’t marry him, you sound as if you are saving yourself heartache and financial instability in the years ahead. Lying is a huge red flag. Please act on it. I don’t think you’ll ever be able to trust him financially and that’s no way to enter a marriage.

RantyAnty · 25/05/2019 12:23

From what you said, he really isn't very nice to you or DC. He can't be counted on to be part of a family a team to hold down a job and not just quit because he doesn't like it, putting the stress on you to handle things. He really is being selfish.

He can't be trusted to do what is right for you and DC by going into a lot of debt and then hiding it and lying about it.

He's shit at communication and acts like a bratty teen when called out or trying to discuss something. He's trying to put the blame on how he was brought up. Well he is an adult now or supposed to be. If he knows it screwed him up, then it is up to him to do something about it. Go to counselling and get himself sorted.

So no, he really isn't a good partner at all.

Mix56 · 25/05/2019 12:25

I would tell him I couldn't marry him, even though I love him.
You cannot accept the financial risk, you need to protect your DC, it is an eternal spiral of unacceptable & necessary spending, & you don't want to finish like his mother, penniless.
He can stamp his feet, he can get frosty, he can sulk, but at the end of the day, you keep fixing this, & he keeps lying, & then does it again.
So the ONLY solution is for him to have some kind of counselling, for you to be in charge of all the finances, & he will have to swear he will never ever get another credit card/loan, & if you discover he has, then it is definitively over.

NameChangeNugget · 25/05/2019 12:27

I couldn’t live with that.

Financial mismanagement and deceit is as bad as an affair in my eyes

Qweenbee · 25/05/2019 12:29

Agreed Mix

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