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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

Should I leave my new partner or be grateful that he’s nice?

129 replies

AnnieRUOKK · 04/09/2022 15:27

Sorry this is a long one. I’ve known my new partner for years through mutual friends but have never been close. But we started talking last year properly after he replied to one of my social media status’ through direct message. We were talking and going out for a few months but I just weren’t feeling it so cut it off. Then we sort of rekindled earlier this year and have been going out since then.

He has met my son and things have been going well but I just have one problem I feel that he is very tight especially with money. This was the main problem the first time around but thought I’d give us another shot, maybe I was just being to fussy. But it’s got the to point now were it’s become a slight burden on me. I know that sounds awful but I pay for nearly everything, he doesn’t drive so I drive us round places all the time, it’s about £65 to fill up my tank every time we go out, he never offers to pay just sits there while I fill the car up. If we have to park anywhere I pay for the parking and any tolls etc. If he wants to come down I pick him up and drop him off back home. If we go through a drive through I pay. When he’s at my house he’ll eat my food, shower here (I’ve just came back from the shop and he’d been in the shower for 25 minutes) charge his laptop phone headphones etc. Using my gas/lecky etc I know it doesn’t sound much but I’m a working single mum have no financial help off anyone and struggle as it is without feeling like I’m supporting an extra person who doesn’t even live here.

Even when we go shopping together
for our tea he’ll get his card out but stand there and take ages waiting for me to offer which I always do and he’s goes ‘ok then’ and just lets me. When we go out to eat with my son I don’t want him feeling like he has to pay for us both so I end up paying for us all. Feel like i spend a fortune on a simple day out. Don’t get me wrong he has paid for some things the first time we went out was only to Pizza Hut the bill was £20 he got that, I offered to go halves but he said ‘we’ll just go somewhere nice next time and you can get it then it’s fair’ that was a turn off but I kept just thinking I’m being fussy over something small.

Don’t even need a man to pay for me just want him to contribute more. And what makes it worse for me is that he lives with his mum and dad in a massive detached house and is on 30+ grand a year plus bonuses and has about 25+ grand in savings. We have sort of beat around the bush discussing this I jokingly say ‘oh I always spend a fortune when out with you haha’ and his mums told him he needs to treat me more. Apart from this he’s a lovely man quite quiet, my ex was really abusive to me and he doesn’t shout at me or be nasty and doesn’t treat me bad. But this is killing the spark for me, am I just sounding mean and making a fuss over nothing and just need to accept it because he’s nice ? Or am I being too soft and just need to cut it off and move on? Really don’t want to sound mean and hurt his feelings but I don’t know what to do. Any advice is appreciated, thank you.

OP posts:
Sausagelove · 04/09/2022 16:06

You’re actually paying for his company. Get rid.

Twawmyarse · 04/09/2022 16:06

He IS NOT a "nice man". You just have such low standards and self esteem that you think a guy who doesn't hit you/shout at you is better than nothing.

A nice man would not allow his partner - who earns less and is a single mother - pay for almost everything, be his chauffeur (the fact this man child doesn't drive would alone be enough to make my fanny clamp shut) and take the absolute piss out of her. He sounds like a tight-fisted, nasty cock-lodger.

nomistake · 04/09/2022 16:07

Ewww I've got the ick and he's not even my boyfriend

NotLactoseFree · 04/09/2022 16:11

Apart from this he’s a lovely man

Except, he's NOT a lovely man. Lovely men don't purposefully engineer things so that they are taking money from a single parent.

I bet when he's round yours he doesn't do any cooking or cleaning either.

End it. What a wanker.

NotLactoseFree · 04/09/2022 16:12

Also, i couldn't find a man who couldn't even get himself to or from my house in the slightest bit sexy. Just screams, "mum driving a teenager around". ICK.

MuddlerInLaw · 04/09/2022 16:18

i couldn't find a man who couldn't even get himself to or from my house in the slightest bit sexy

This also. No bike, train, bus, tram, shoe leather available to him? I’m sure you’ll say there’s a medical reason why he doesn’t drive - but ffs, he’s making No Effort At All.

orangeisthenewpuce · 04/09/2022 16:22

Why are you wavering? He's a tight arsed git. Get rid now. I'll bet the reason he doesn't drive is because he's too tight.

abblie · 04/09/2022 16:25

Leave, delete and block

InFiveMins · 04/09/2022 16:28

He is taking advantage of you, big time. Get rid!

cathcath2 · 04/09/2022 16:39

You need to either expect and make sure he contributes more or bin him off.

Evasmissingletter · 04/09/2022 17:06

You are worth more than this. You deserve someone, as a minimum, to treat you fairly and preferably treat you like a queen. Raise your personal standards about who you have a relationship with and dump this leech.

Theyellowshorts · 04/09/2022 17:13

What happens if you tell him to make his own way to yours? What happens if you ask him to go halves?

I get the whole argument of you shouldn't need to point it out and he should offer without being asked. But I also think in some of your examples I would have blatantly asked him for the money or told him to pay at the time.

Chicheguevara · 04/09/2022 17:15

Hi.
He sounds a proper parasite to me. No wonder he has a shed load in the bank if he has no bills. Kick him out of the door, to his mum and dad’s place. Let him walk there too. He is sponging off you. He sounds very expensive to be with. If he’s this tight in the early stages of a relationship, imagine what he’ll be like when he gets his feet under the table.
You sound like a lovely person, kind and generous, and he is taking full advantage of it. As my Nan would have said ‘dump the chump’.

Clymene · 04/09/2022 17:23

Your bar is way too low. Dump him and do some work on your self-esteem.

Any man is not better than no man. He is a tight cocklodger who has no respect for you

Always4Brenner · 04/09/2022 17:24

Get rid now if he’s tight now it won’t get any better.

Readaboutyourself · 04/09/2022 17:24

It doesn’t sound like you like him so regardless of anything else you should end it so you can both be free to meet the right person

Aquamarine1029 · 04/09/2022 17:25

You shouldn't even have to ask. You've gone from one kind of abuse to another, that's all. Dump him immediately.

CambsAlways · 04/09/2022 17:27

Good god I’m surprised you have to even ask get rid he’s a leech

Hopeandlove · 04/09/2022 17:32

Stop driving him Anywhere. End that now.
he’s coming over ‘right we’ll you need to go to Tesco and buy everything needed for dinner and breakfast’
he’s having a bath - day right the water bill last month was £40 can I have your contribution. Please I suggest a split of 60/40

Hopeandlove · 04/09/2022 17:32

Tell him that adults need to pay their way

Evasmissingletter · 04/09/2022 17:37

Oh another thing …..every pound you spend ferrying him about and feeding him is a pound you could have spent on you and your son.

CousinKrispy · 04/09/2022 17:54

Oh no, you sound so stressed about this, I'm so sorry.

From the thread title I was expecting him to actually sound like a nice decent man who just wasn't terribly exciting and might have suggested it was worth focusing on his good qualities. But this sounds awful! Tight, selfish, and either clueless about the effect on you, or has a clue and just doesn't care.

I'd say get rid. You deserve better!

bloodyhellwhyme · 04/09/2022 17:59

Not sure why it isn’t blindingly obvious that this man needs to go! He is taking the piss. He probably thinks because youre a single parent that you’re desperate to take anyone so will even pay just to keep him around. Bet you the moment you say no or can’t pay for xyz anymore, he will be gone! Off to find another woman to take the piss out of. Not sure if you have self-esteem issues but you deserve so much better than this, it’s a shame you can’t see it but really hope you do!

tara66 · 04/09/2022 18:19

OP just re read your post - what do you think?

Madamecastafiore · 04/09/2022 18:26

Nothing more unattractive than a man mean with money my grandma used to say!

What he's doing to you is just bloody disrespectful and from his comments he knows what he's doing.

He isn't NICE, nice men don't treat women like this.