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Relationships

To not want to ask my parents for money?

137 replies

BrokenArrows · 28/08/2020 15:05

My husband is an only child. A mummy's boy. His mum (a single mum) has been very generous with giving us money each month, as well as a larger amount to help with a deposit on our house, and other amounts at random times. My husband and his mum openly talk about finances, and I feel like he kind of runs the show with her money advising her of what to do in terms of re-mortgaging, potentially selling and downsizing her house, etc. I also feel that my husband has asked directly (and pressured her) for some of the money she has given us over the years. She is a very selfless person and would always want to help others rather than herself. She's very careful with money. Very rarely eats out, never goes on holiday or to movies, or days out and never does anything nice for herself. Although we live what I consider to be a very comfortable lifestyle, we still struggle with bills sometimes. She helps with some of our DC's school fees or uniform costs, provides us with a few hundred pounds a month from a second pension she has, and would try and help more if he asked. It's very generous of her.

Now the issue is that his mum (single income and now retired) makes far less than what my parents make. Yet somehow she works some voodoo magic to come up with money whenever we need it. My parents have worked hard (as has his mum) and raised us kids comfortably, and now they are retired and living their lives and enjoying holidays, cruises, dinners out, films each week, improvements to the house etc. My husband seems annoyed with this and the fact that they don't openly just hand out money to us like his mum does.

He has asked me before to ask them for money when times have been tight, but I just don't feel right doing this. Partly because my dad and I have had a slightly rocky relationship in the past and I don't know how or want to approach the situation to ask them for money. I do not discuss money with them at all. I don't want it to create friction. But husband gets into a strop with me about it and yells at me basically out of frustration that they have more money than his mum and are enjoying their retirement. I think he feels entitled to it. I have explained to him that I'm uncomfortable asking them for money, and to me it's not worth creating any potential arguments or conflict with them. But I know he's still resentful, and occasionally still throws it in my face during an argument.

Does he have the right to be upset by this, or is he being totally unreasonable? Or am I being unreasonable by not asking my parents in the first place?

OP posts:
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ithinkiveseenthisfilmbefore · 28/08/2020 16:30

Your husband is a dick.

YANBU to not ask your parents for money, especially since it's because your DH wants to live beyond his means.

YABU for putting up with such a twat.

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FindTheTruth · 28/08/2020 16:31

@BrokenArrows

My husband is very controlling, and verbally and emotionally abusive towards me yes. He discusses the finances with his mum, not me. I do not know if he asks her for more money until after she's already sent it. I will clarify though that the couple hundred pounds was something that she wanted to do for us to help send the DC to private school so that has always been there and budgeted for. She wanted to buy the uniform (the first time as a gift - we pay now). But he wanted to send the kids to private school, and would not be willing to take them out. I take out a small allowance from the money I earn because if I didn't I wouldn't have anything as he controls everything else. They money that he's asked for from her (and wants me to ask from my parents) is often for home improvements, etc. Which I don't see as necessary obviously. And while some people will accuse me of taking from her, I'm obviously not comfortable with it, and am not comfortable asking for money from my own parents or anyone else. I would never ask for anything. But if I were to suggest we no longer accept (or he no longer ask for) money from his mum he would yell and scream at me. Lockdown and speaking with a friend recently has made me realise I'm in a very controlling and abusive relationship (for over 20 years), so I'm trying to figure out my next steps and evaluate what is normal and what is not. 😕

@BrokenArrows can chat here chat.womensaid.org.uk/ about the financial control, emotional control and what you're going through? there are many options. Right now it sounds like you're unequal and trapped.
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ithinkiveseenthisfilmbefore · 28/08/2020 16:32

Call women's aid about leaving.
Get legal advice; should be able to get a free 30 minute consultation somewhere.
Look at online calculators to see what you'd be entitled to.

You are in an abusive relationship, and your DCs will think this is normal if you don't fix it and get out now.

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GeorginaTheGiant · 28/08/2020 16:32

This is horrific. Your husband is a vile, money-grabbing bully who is behaving disgustingly towards you and his poor mother. I don’t even know where to start with how not-normal any of this is. My in laws are insanely generous and always trying to help us out here and there. My husband has to be pushed and pushed by them to accept any help because he doesn’t feel it’s right for a grown man in his thirties to take money when he’s earning well and we can support our own family. He occasionally accepts something that they offer with huge gratitude. I’m saying that just to illustrate how not everyone is an overgrown tantruming toddler who thinks they are entitled to whatever they want if they shout loud enough.

I hope you can get the help on here that you need to get out of this awful marriage. Do you think his mum could in any way be an ally, if she also feels bullied and abused by him?

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Thisismytimetoshine · 28/08/2020 16:37

Neither of you should be asking your parents for money! Grow up and look after yourselves Hmm. Have you no pride or shame?

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butterpuffed · 28/08/2020 16:37

If this is true I feel so sorry for the way your MIL is being treated so I'm hoping this thread is a wind up Sad

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EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 28/08/2020 16:37

Your husband bullies his pensioner mother to pay for your children to be privately educated, including remortgaging her property.
You have to ask here whether that is unreasonable, or if it would be unreasonable to extend that behaviour to your own parents?
I am surprised that you are still with him.
Grow up and live within your means.

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diddl · 28/08/2020 16:39

Leave him & get help for his mum.

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bringbacksideburns · 28/08/2020 16:39

Yuk.

Why are you with this horrible abusive person?

Seperate - ask him to leave or go and stay with family and put the house up for sale.

Increase your working hours and learn to stand on your own two feet, with family support until you are able to. Let your family help for a change.

He clearly bullies his poor mother and is bullying you too. By accepting her money and watching her never enjoying it you are complicit in the abuse. It's obviously a dynamic that will probably never change but you can get out.

How could anyone want to stay with such a 'man'?

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PinkiOcelot · 28/08/2020 16:40

This post has absolutely disgusted me TBH. You obviously can’t afford your lifestyle, so cut back. Starting with sending your dc to state school.

That poor woman should be enjoying her retirement, doing the same as your parents. Definitely not keeping you greedy pair in the lifestyle to which you have become accustomed. You are both disgusting and should be ashamed!!

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Viviennemary · 28/08/2020 16:41

You are both a pair of scroungers. Stop taking money from family and stop expecting to be given it.,

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TOFO1965 · 28/08/2020 16:41

Gosh, that poor woman, pretty coercive behaviour from your husband here. You plainly can't afford private school fees.

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NoSquirrels · 28/08/2020 16:45

As everyone else has pointed out, he's an absolute arsehole, to you and to his poor mother.

I'd also question your assumption that he is "very good with money" if he's regularly having hundreds of quid extra a month and can't save up for home improvements etc.

I'd start keeping more than 18% of your income, if I were you.

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Supersimkin2 · 28/08/2020 16:45

Helping out with school fees is not unreasonable. Neither is buying uniform for DGC.

In a lot of UMC families, people scrimp and save frenziedly to afford school fees. Parents and grannies look poor as hell in their Sainsbury's jeans when they roll up to collect Hattie & Hugo. That's cos there's a tradition of investing in future generations (no one stays rich without some effort) and it's the Done Thing no matter how skint it leaves you.

But 'pressure' to pay is Unreasonable. As could be 'managing' DM's finances, which suggests keeping an eye with a view to harvesting them again.

Where does the money come from? Family trust = not so U; Min wages as a dinner lady = U.

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NoSquirrels · 28/08/2020 16:46

Can you work more?

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areyoubeingserviced · 28/08/2020 16:46

You are both being unreasonable.
Your husband is spoilt and entitled.
I just can’t believe this. The poor woman can’t even enjoy her money because her son and daughter in law are living above their means.
Awful

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Supersimkin2 · 28/08/2020 16:48

Oh and £200 toward school fees is barely 2% by way of contribution per child.

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Girlyracer · 28/08/2020 16:48

Isn't your husband ashamed to be asking his mother for money all the time? I'm all for parents helping out now and again and giving nice gifts as you love one another, bit this level of frequency is weird. What would he do without her.

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FizzyGreenWater · 28/08/2020 16:49

W.O.W.

I cannot believe what I just read.

Your husband is a nasty, greedy, entitled little parasite who has grown into an utterly abusive man.

And yes, coercive control isn't just husband - wife. He abuses his mother too.

You should leave. You will get loads of great advice on here exactly how to do that.

Record his next screeching session.

You would have grounds for divorce under unreasonable behaviour - financial abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse.

Get a damn good solicitor and get the jump on him.

What would happen is - you file, you woudl both have to provide financial information - he would have to declare everything. You have young children and are the lower earner and I presume the primary carer - YOU WOULD GET THE BIGGER SHARE OF THE ASSETS, and presumably main care of the children.

You may be able to find a lawyer who would take payment from your final settlement.

First thing to do, go and have an appointment with the best local solicitors in family law. He then won't be able to use them, if you've consulted them.

You can do it.

Would your parents help you out if you needed a loan or practical help to leave him?

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Thisismytimetoshine · 28/08/2020 16:51

In a lot of UMC families, people scrimp and save frenziedly to afford school fees. Parents and grannies look poor as hell in their Sainsbury's jeans when they roll up to collect Hattie & Hugo. That's cos there's a tradition of investing in future generations (no one stays rich without some effort) and it's the Done Thing no matter how skint it leaves you.
Staying rich? They don't particularly rich now. Class has nothing to do with it.

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Losingthechubrub · 28/08/2020 16:52

You are living beyond your means. If you can't manage on a double income, you need to look at making some changes. You clearly can't afford your 'comfortable' lifestyle, so I would suggest writing out a list of your expenditure and looking at where you can cut back. ' A 'few hundred pounds a month', what planet are you on? Let the poor woman spend her pension on herself, she's earned it!

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mrsmuddlepies · 28/08/2020 16:52

Why don't you work full time? You are both being unbelievably greedy.

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Purplewithred · 28/08/2020 16:52

You are in an abusive relationship and need to find support that will help you escape your prison.

You will have to learn a few new skills but many people have succeeded in leaving situations like yours and made themselves happy, successful new lives.

Flowers for taking the first step and coming on here. Hope you can follow some of the excellent advice above.

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movpov · 28/08/2020 16:53

Well he sounds like a catch - not. Actually he sounds like a nasty piece of work, and you are enabling it. If you can't manage to support your lifestyle on what you both earn, tell him to get a better paid job and you do the same, instead of sponging off his mother. Why should she spend her hard earned money giving you several hundred pounds a month, instead of on herself? Why shouldn't your own parents enjoy their retirement with their own money? Completely unreasonable the pair of you, give the parents a break

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AnneLovesGilbert · 28/08/2020 16:53

Why 18%?

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