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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

First time mum.. relationship in trouble

90 replies

cakesandcookies89 · 08/03/2021 20:53

Hi mumsnetters,

I'm hoping someone can offer some advice as I've got myself in a bit of a pickle.

Long story short I had my first baby (rainbow baby) who is now 1 year old. He is the love of my life. We've had a few problems with him eating and putting on weight etc &are under a pediatrician and a dietician.
I lost my nana who I was really close to but on top of this my DP finally admitted to how much debt he is in. I knew there was some. It's now around the figure of £50k.. makes me feel physically sick to my stomach as I'm a saver. I'm working part -time as we cannot afford to pay for nursery. I am a primary teacher but I also have my own tuition buisness, I teach approx another 15 hours per week evenings and weekends trying to juggle LO. Dp does nothing around the house when not at work, he just sits on the sofa.. he gets cross with lo when struggling to eat and barely speaks to me. I've tried to suggest counselling as I know he is depressed. We have gone from being the most in love couple to someone I don't recognise myself included. Its turning me into someone I'm not.. I'm miserable and tearful. I'm due to change schools at Easter to a school more local to us a good 45 minutes from my mum who is our childcare and I can't help but feel I've made a mistake. I'm currently sat on the sofa in silence as kit stares at an ipad. While I work at the weekends and he has LO he just sticks the tv on & can't be bothered to play. I love him but I just feel so unhappy :( I also have crohns disease but even when I'm ill I just have to keep going :/

OP posts:
CatherineofOnandon · 09/03/2021 19:29

@Cakeandcookies so your DP's debt has spiralled while he has been supporting you and his child while you were on Mat leave?

With kindness Op, part of this debt has been accrued while he has been trying to support you and your shared child. You were aware of prev debts before you moved into this next family phase of yr life.

This is not really solely " his" debt . You both need to work together and earn jointly to pay this off in an effort to move forward and be debt free.

All the other bits in your post, with kindness, are irrelevant. Life throws all kinds of things at us op, we still all need to take financial responsibility. You are in a partnership so this is your shared financial issue, not just his.

ScarfaceCwaw · 09/03/2021 19:33

Previous tenancy 10 years ago with a gf who lost her job then left him. He paid for holidays and everything rmse well beyond their means, a car then some online gaming to make money, some things for our house and keeping afloat when I was on mat leave.

I'm sorry, but this sounds like some major bullshit. "Ohhhh, it was all the ex-girlfriend's faaaaault, and their breakup". He's reckless with money and he's going to drag you down.

You have to end things with him. That's the truth. It's that or you will end up pouring your every penny into his bottomless pit and sucking away every trace of financial security for your child.

He's an adult. The one you owe something to is your child. Either take over the mortgage if you can afford it, or put the house on the market now, take your deposit back and give him whatever equity he's owed from his contribution to payments.

okokok000 · 09/03/2021 19:36

@DianaT1969

He should declare himself bankrupt asap. He is never going to pay off such a high debt. I am concerned about his MH if he loses you and his home. If I were you, I'd get legal advice, detach yourself financially, keep telling him to get help for his depression. A house isn't a home if you are drowning in debt.
I don't agree the op's partner should rush into this. It sounds like his share of the house is his biggest asset. If he is declared bankrupt then his trustee in bankruptcy will apply for possession and an order for sale. This will incur costs. The op would then need to either buy him out or co-operate with the sale.

Op I you do need to get advice from an insolvency solicitor who can having considered all facts and your situation properly advise you as to your risks and the options available. It may be that if the mortgage company is agreeable that you buy him out now.

I agree with others he will take you down with him if you let him. I'm not saying it's deliberate, but he sounds very irresponsible financially.

Cakeandcookies · 09/03/2021 19:37

I had the house valued last week, not much equity but hopefully things will improve.

@CatherineofOnandon thank you for your post. I maybe didn't explain that clearly. When we met I was aware of some credit card debt of around £7000. We got our mortgage fine so I was not aware of anything else. £43,000 was our last conversation until the other day when it's just shy of the 50k mark. Yes he has had to help us but the whole of my maternity leave (I only took 8 months not the year I was hoping for) I tutored online from 8 weeks post birth to help financially and delved into my savings. Yes he has had to help but not that much ..

CatherineofOnandon · 09/03/2021 19:38

"He is a shadow of the person he once was & has lost weight".

He is struggling trying to deal with this all himself. He needs your support now, financially, in terms of your bigger financial contribution into the family pot and emotionally.

This really is not all not his cross to carry.

Cakeandcookies · 09/03/2021 19:39

Thank you so much mumsnetters I definitely have sole food for thought. You've all been great at making me look at things differently. I can only see 2 options leave indefinitely for lo sake or for us to sell and move back to parents while he sorts himself out. Thank you for taking the time to read xxx

CatherineofOnandon · 09/03/2021 19:42

So what has the £43k , in the yrs you have both been together, been spent on? £43k unaccounted for?

CatherineofOnandon · 09/03/2021 19:49

"Yes he has had to help us but the whole of my maternity leave (I only took 8 months not the year I was hoping for) I tutored online from 8 weeks post birth to help financially and delved into my savings. Yes he has had to help but not that much .."

Were you earning enough during all this time to pay fully towards all household bills and mortgage? If not, i can see how he may have got into debt.

Sunflower1970 · 14/03/2021 04:24

He is going to drag you down
Hard as it is you need to separate and you need to plan for the future. You have a good job and this man is going to bankrupt you both if you don’t put a stop to this charade. His attitude to your baby and his problems is also a red flag

Sakurami · 14/03/2021 04:58

The problem is that despite being in such huge debt, he is still wasting a considerable amount of money every month whilst watching you do 2 jobs and not even doing his share of childcare and housework.

I paid off one of my exes credit card debts (around £12k) because the interest payments were huge (he said it was his ex wife's debts). Within a year, he was spending money we didn't have on shit we didn't need with new credit cards. Despite earning £60k between us and our mortgage only being about £500/m he over spent every month.

It was so stressful being with him and despite paying his debts and earning enough to cover them, he still overspent. So it means we would always be living beyond our means. That is no way to live.

You are being far too understanding op. I would definitely sell the house and protect your deposit. Then move back in with your mum until you are able to buy your own house in your own name. Let him sort himself out - either by declaring bankruptcy or by pulling his belt in tight and paying back his debts over the next few years and then restarting again with you.

EarthSight · 14/03/2021 09:34

I know many Mumsneters would say the following, and I don't think I would disagree with them -

What's the point of him?
Women are not rehab centres for damaged men.

If you're partner is in debt, can't be bothered with you, the baby, or improving his circumstances, I'm afraid there's not much you can do. Why do you love him, exactly? How long has he been this way for? A few months? Years? You need to let go of the image if your relationship as it was in the past and accept your current relationship, your partner as he currently is.

Mumsnet is full of women who strapped themselves on to men who only dragged them down and depleted their energy. They failed to realise that their partner is and adult, not a child which you owe unconditional love and nurture, however tempting that might be to do & show. It's hard. I know that all you'll want to do as a loyal, devoted partner is to help him, but careful you don't spend years being depleted in this way. It easily happens.

How you spend money is an incredibly important in a relationship. These aren't just actions, they are indicators of personality types. Savers tend to be more forward thinking and are willing to deny themselves in order to make sure they have enough for a rainy day, which could be any time, not just in retirement. People who land themselves in 50k of debt because of overspending tend to be immature. They want to live a lifestyle they simply cannot have, spend beyond their means like there's no tomorrow, will give in to their own impulses more often, and usually would rather bury their heads in the sand rather than sit down and tackle boring stuff, like looking at their spending and bank balance. Do you think this tendency is part of his personality or was a temporary thing he's learnt from? If he's still like that then please don't get married to him. He's a massive liability.

EarthSight · 14/03/2021 09:34

Your*

EarthSight · 14/03/2021 09:37

@Sakurami

I paid off one of my exes credit card debts (around £12k) because the interest payments were huge (he said it was his ex wife's debts). Within a year, he was spending money we didn't have on shit we didn't need with new credit cards

That's fucking awful. 12k??? What a wanker.

Lolapusht · 14/03/2021 12:29

@CatherineofOnandon

"Yes he has had to help us but the whole of my maternity leave (I only took 8 months not the year I was hoping for) I tutored online from 8 weeks post birth to help financially and delved into my savings. Yes he has had to help but not that much .."

Were you earning enough during all this time to pay fully towards all household bills and mortgage? If not, i can see how he may have got into debt.

OP was on maternity! She started working again with an 8 week old baby to help the family finances. He has obviously increased his debt while she has been on maternity instead of reducing spending due to decreased income because his partner was, yi know, growing and nurturing their child. She also used her savings to supplement their income. From your posts, you seem to want the OP to not only provide for the family (maybe she could take on a 3rd job?!), she also has to do childcare, housework AND provide unflinching support for her DP because he’s depressed that he’s gotten himself into so much debt. WTF?!

OP, how long did it take him to run up £50k? He has at least a decade’s form of living beyond his means so he needs to step up and show you he’s going to change. He stops wasting money and starts doing something to change. If you stay with him and bail him out them you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of money worries. Do you want to get to retirement age to discover you have nothing to live on? Do you want to get to a point when you total up how much has been spent repaying his debts and realising you could have paid for your daughter to get through uni/set up a business/by a house? He is choosing to todo all of this which is just plain selfish as you and DD don’t get a say. He’s risking making his DD homeless because he won’t do something about it. Sell the house and cut financial ties with him. You can still be in a relationship with him and he can still be a dad, but you’ll be taking back control of your life and may give him the push he needs to sort himself out.

Wanderlusto · 14/03/2021 12:42

...why are you paying some guys debt?
Not to mention he is a selfish loser.

Love shmove. This isn't disney. That money should be for your baby. Where is your love for him if you spend all your dosh on bf the asshole? Where is your self love?

Get shot off the useless dad and shot of HIS debt.
And if you really believe he ran it up because his ex lost her job...basically he was draining her dry and when that stopped he looked for other things to drain and thought he could cheat the system. And tbf he has because he found you deliberately to pay it back. He is a leach and a predator.

Treetops73 · 14/03/2021 14:54

Some really good advice here OP, which I hope you follow. You MUST protect your and your DC’s financial (and emotional) future.

Your partner has a history of financial irresponsibility and cannot make good decisions around money. I agree with PP that you are now enabling him so you need to stop. Disentangle yourself from him and from this mess, and focus on you and your child. Yes your partner may be depressed, but he is a grown man and needs to take action to get better. You can’t do it for him. The depression may be absolutely real, but it shouldn’t stop him pulling his weight with childcare and around the house.

You sound sensible and strong. Don’t let this man drag you down. 💐

MondayYogurt · 15/03/2021 11:57

a car then some online gaming to make money,

This is a red flag for me. Are you sure he's not gambling it away?

CatherineofOnandon · 15/03/2021 18:35

"@Lolapusht OP was on maternity! She started working again with an 8 week old baby to help the family finances. He has obviously increased his debt while she has been on maternity instead of reducing spending due to decreased income because his partner was, yi know, growing and nurturing their child. She also used her savings to supplement their income. From your posts, you seem to want the OP to not only provide for the family (maybe she could take on a 3rd job?!), she also has to do childcare, housework AND provide unflinching support for her DP because he’s depressed that he’s gotten himself into so much debt. WTF?!
OP, how long did it take him to run up £50k? "

You have totally misunderstood my point. I see OP was working but , if it was a few hrs a day while on maternity, that huge deficit in pay could have impacted family finances greatly. Maybe being on maternity , "yi know" , increased expenditure as baby needed stuff. In my experience " growing and nurturing children " cost money . I have had 2 , now grown so i know just exactly how much.

The amount of debt that has been accrued while op and her partner have been together is £43k not £50k. £7k is inherited debt before OP met partner but was aware of. I did ask OP what this joint £43k has been spent on but no clarification.

I wonder if OP's DP has been trying to feed and house his family on effectively one low wage .. "yi know" while OP has been at home for 8 mths, " growing and nurturing children" and working less hrs. It would be helpful if OP could clarify exactly what that £43k debt is made of, baby stuff, food, cot and pram, baby clothes, household repairs, replacement appliances, take aways, car maintenance, boiler service, frozen pipes, leaks, plumbing, ? Sick cat. Who knows. That shiz all got to be paid for by someone, while we are growing add nurturing children !

We all grow and nurture children children but them bills still need to be paid!!!!! How has this £43k been amassed?

Until we know for sure how this debt has been accrued, we cannot judge the OP's DP.

" (maybe she could take on a 3rd job?!), she also has to do childcare, housework AND provide unflinching support for her DP because he’s depressed that he’s gotten himself into so much debt. WTF?!"

Yes, because that is what lots of other people do in this similar debt situation and make ends meet. "yi know"!

This is the man that OP chose and this is the man that OP has had a child with. Op working and using savings does not say she covered half of all household expenses, food and additional baby expenses. Big difference.

Op's DP has accrued £43k of debt while with the Op. This is almost 7 times the amount of debt he had before he was with and entered into a relationship with Op. If he has spent it on wine, women, song, gambling and Xbox then fine, leave.

Until OP comes back we don't know. Leave him and walk away advice... not great advice if OP and birth of child has been a contributory factor to his debt accumulation and mental health deterioration.

Until OP confirms what this money ( £43k ) has been spent on, we cannot say.

@Lolapusht growing and nurturing children is admirable, but you have to be able to afford it. To suggest the OP's DP should have reduced his spending is ridiculous. A new baby and a partner on maternity/ reduced hrs would have significantly increased his spending. Hopefully Op will come back and conform what that money was spent on.

Lolapusht · 15/03/2021 18:46

@CatherineofOnandon you ok hun? X

CatherineofOnandon · 15/03/2021 18:54

@Lolapusht yes fine lovely. Your "hun" response shows you have nothing more to add at this time.

I suspect you are waiting for the OP to come back with dp has gambling/ drug/Xbox gold / habit/ is a bad father/ mum can't afford to stay at home as he over spends shiz. Then you can rip into me.

Pokske · 15/03/2021 18:59

You say he's depressed - I think he's just lazy.
I've known men like this, the act depressed so that you leave them alone, so they can play on their phones/watch television/whatever in peace. Whenever you do something he's not pleased about, he can comment on you. You can't ever say he does something wrong because he does not do anything.
And for the debts: he's apparently not been open about what it all amounts to. You're working your a*s off and he's overspending.
If I were you, I'd be looking for the exit and chase his lazy bones through it.
Good luck !

lucie8881 · 15/03/2021 19:13

@MondayYogurt

a car then some online gaming to make money,

This is a red flag for me. Are you sure he's not gambling it away?

This was my thought on reading this too ....
CatherineofOnandon · 15/03/2021 19:24

"@Lolapusht you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of money worries. Do you want to get to retirement age to discover you have nothing to live on? Do you want to get to a point when you total up how much has been spent repaying his debts and realising you could have paid for your daughter to get through uni/set up a business/by a house? He is choosing to todo all of this which is just plain selfish as you and DD don’t get a say. He’s risking making his DD homeless because he won’t do something about it"

This is why women should fully support them selves, have pension provision and work to afford their own and their children's opportunities.

This is why women should put in place their own pension provision. If you stayed at home " growing and nurturing " children at the expense of you. You are to blame for on yr own lack of opportunity, pension provision and financial security. You are putting OP's future in her DP's financial mismanagement. Op can and should manage her own financial affairs.

category12 · 15/03/2021 19:34

@CatherineofOnandon

The point of being in a relationship is having someone on your side, on your team. We call them partners. What's the point of being in a relationship at all if you're expected to be entirely self-sufficient throughout, no matter what? So if one of the partnership loses their job through no fault of their own, or suffers a life-changing injury, or whatever life throws at them, they have someone who has their back who will support them - otherwise it's just fuck you, I'll watch you my darling, my beloved, struggle financially and practically while I'm alright jack, is it? Hmm

We're talking about a couple raising a child together - both of them have a responsibility to the child. They're supposed to be in it together.

CatherineofOnandon · 15/03/2021 19:43

"@lucie888 @MondayYogurt
a car then some online gaming to make money,
This is a red flag for me."

Op has not /never said this ! Where has this come from? Bullshiz!

@category12 that's what i have said. Joint responsibility!