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He isn't skint.

1000 replies

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 09:32

NC for this as personal/outing. Am wondering AIBU? Or WWYD?

Began seeing a local man met on OLD. We matched so perfectly: same age, local, some mutual acquaintances, similar hobbies, outlook, politics, music taste, humour etc. Found him incredibly sexually and emotionally attractive and vice versa.

We became very close and cosy very quickly: daily contact, usually in person, in and out of each others' houses for coffee and a chat, sleeping over at each others houses often, meeting each other's friends and family. Talked loads, for hours, about a wide range of subjects and very frankly. Within weeks we were so close and comfortable with one another it felt like we'd been together for ages.

The only thing that wasn't perfect was that he had no spare spending money. He had gone part time at work to give him the time to renovate his house, singlehandedly, and those renovations also ate up all the money he had left over after paying mortgage and bills. He warned me that, until the house was finished and he returned to full time working, he could not afford to spend much on going out, going away, buying me gifts, unless it was cheap and we split the costs. I am not materialistic so I did not care and to be honest I am a homely person who is more than happy to have dates at each other's houses, cooking each other a meal or watching a film. For Xmas he saw something in a charity shop window which he knew I would love and he even admitted it had cost him only £2 and said he felt guilty and mean and sorry and hoped I would tolerate his being skint until he got back to work and could treat me properly and take me to a swanky restaurant now and again.

Whilst chatting and being in his home whilst things were happening in his daily life he would mention now and again that he was down to his last few pounds, or that the purchase of some essential building materials or an emergency dental problem or vet bill had wiped his bank account. I am not wealthy but I do have a couple of hundred pounds left over every month which I usually just put into a savings account. He never once asked me for money and in fact when I offered to lend him money once or twice he absolutely refused. When I offered to treat him to a fancy meal out or a theatre ticket he also refused, saying that unless he could pay at least his own share, he would not go. I saw these refusals as a confirmation of his honesty and integrity.

One day I was at his house reading the paper after breakfast and he was opposite me on his laptop. As he went to answer the front door I took the dirty plates to the sink and as I turned round to walk back to the table I could not help myself, my eyes were drawn to the screen which had some kind of spreadsheet of figures. I was absolutely staggered to see that he had stocks and shares and an ISA totalling £1.5m. When he came back into the room I just pretended I had not seen anything because I knew I should not have been snooping but I went home and was literally in shock and also really angry that he had been lying to me the whole time.

Next time I stayed at his I deliberately snooped when he was in the shower, and read an open letter about the sale of a flat he owned (which he had never mentioned to me). £250,000 from the sale had been deposited into my boyfriend's bank account about a week before, and yet that very day he had been saying how broke he was.

Am I in the wrong for snooping or is he in the wrong for telling me for a whole year the lie that he is struggling financially from month to month?

What would you do? Confront him and admit you snooped? End it? Tell yourself his finances are none of your business?

OP posts:
MusicMum80s · 19/10/2024 21:09

I think you are being ridiculous. For all you know the savings you've seen are his retirement savings that he doesn't see as free money to spend. He may be disciplined enough to only spend what he's making or put aside for the house renovation without feeling its appropriate to dip into his long-term savings. He hasn't necessarily lied to you. If you've seen him live frugally for the time you've been with him, in all likelihood he genuinely believes what he's told you even though you might not treat long term savings as untouchable in the same way.

burnoutbabe · 19/10/2024 21:09

HollyKnight · 19/10/2024 21:04

I just can't get over an IT consultant of 20 years only earning £56k.

Nor one who cuts their hours by doing mornings only every day rather than 2 long days.

That's more "IT support" than a consultant type job.

CharlotteCollinsneeLucas · 19/10/2024 21:10

Can you stay with him but increase the distance now you know what you know? Value your friendships at least as much as time with him, but keep enjoying his company?

Wallywobbles · 19/10/2024 21:10

Have you asked if he has savings?

ThePenguinIsDrunk · 19/10/2024 21:12

I can understand where you are coming from OP - if he'd been honest and said that he just liked living a frugal life, that's one thing, but to continue to make you think it was necessity not choice is essentially lying by omission. It also takes away your choice as you didn't choose to be with someone who just didn't want to spend, you chose to be with someone you thought had nothing to spend.

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 21:15

CharlotteCollinsneeLucas · 19/10/2024 21:10

Can you stay with him but increase the distance now you know what you know? Value your friendships at least as much as time with him, but keep enjoying his company?

This is an excellent compromise and I will think about it carefully during my "covid",

OP posts:
AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 21:18

Thelnebriati · 19/10/2024 20:54

I think this is worth looking into OP. Just in case.

He told me to set up a username and password and left the room whilst I did so. He has no access to my account.

OP posts:
Waterbaby41 · 19/10/2024 21:18

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 09:32

NC for this as personal/outing. Am wondering AIBU? Or WWYD?

Began seeing a local man met on OLD. We matched so perfectly: same age, local, some mutual acquaintances, similar hobbies, outlook, politics, music taste, humour etc. Found him incredibly sexually and emotionally attractive and vice versa.

We became very close and cosy very quickly: daily contact, usually in person, in and out of each others' houses for coffee and a chat, sleeping over at each others houses often, meeting each other's friends and family. Talked loads, for hours, about a wide range of subjects and very frankly. Within weeks we were so close and comfortable with one another it felt like we'd been together for ages.

The only thing that wasn't perfect was that he had no spare spending money. He had gone part time at work to give him the time to renovate his house, singlehandedly, and those renovations also ate up all the money he had left over after paying mortgage and bills. He warned me that, until the house was finished and he returned to full time working, he could not afford to spend much on going out, going away, buying me gifts, unless it was cheap and we split the costs. I am not materialistic so I did not care and to be honest I am a homely person who is more than happy to have dates at each other's houses, cooking each other a meal or watching a film. For Xmas he saw something in a charity shop window which he knew I would love and he even admitted it had cost him only £2 and said he felt guilty and mean and sorry and hoped I would tolerate his being skint until he got back to work and could treat me properly and take me to a swanky restaurant now and again.

Whilst chatting and being in his home whilst things were happening in his daily life he would mention now and again that he was down to his last few pounds, or that the purchase of some essential building materials or an emergency dental problem or vet bill had wiped his bank account. I am not wealthy but I do have a couple of hundred pounds left over every month which I usually just put into a savings account. He never once asked me for money and in fact when I offered to lend him money once or twice he absolutely refused. When I offered to treat him to a fancy meal out or a theatre ticket he also refused, saying that unless he could pay at least his own share, he would not go. I saw these refusals as a confirmation of his honesty and integrity.

One day I was at his house reading the paper after breakfast and he was opposite me on his laptop. As he went to answer the front door I took the dirty plates to the sink and as I turned round to walk back to the table I could not help myself, my eyes were drawn to the screen which had some kind of spreadsheet of figures. I was absolutely staggered to see that he had stocks and shares and an ISA totalling £1.5m. When he came back into the room I just pretended I had not seen anything because I knew I should not have been snooping but I went home and was literally in shock and also really angry that he had been lying to me the whole time.

Next time I stayed at his I deliberately snooped when he was in the shower, and read an open letter about the sale of a flat he owned (which he had never mentioned to me). £250,000 from the sale had been deposited into my boyfriend's bank account about a week before, and yet that very day he had been saying how broke he was.

Am I in the wrong for snooping or is he in the wrong for telling me for a whole year the lie that he is struggling financially from month to month?

What would you do? Confront him and admit you snooped? End it? Tell yourself his finances are none of your business?

Yes you are in the wrong for snooping. You are also projecting your own opinion of how you view finances onto him, without considering how he views his finances. The only way to resolve it is to talk about it - which means owning up to snooping (most people hate their partners snooping!) - or accept that there are people who feel rich if they have a fiver left at the end of the week - and others who panic if they have less than £5k available. Good luck.

BettyBardMacDonald · 19/10/2024 21:18

ThePenguinIsDrunk · 19/10/2024 21:12

I can understand where you are coming from OP - if he'd been honest and said that he just liked living a frugal life, that's one thing, but to continue to make you think it was necessity not choice is essentially lying by omission. It also takes away your choice as you didn't choose to be with someone who just didn't want to spend, you chose to be with someone you thought had nothing to spend.

What's the difference?

Lucyccfc68 · 19/10/2024 21:19

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 20:54

I've told him I am ill with suspected covid so he will keep well away as he won't want to catch it so I have time away from him to decide if I am going to press him hard for some answers. Maybe ask him, "Have you REALLY not got any investments? I mean you really knew your way around that website when you set me up with the stocks and shares and ISA and SIPP." Then see his reaction, body language and what he says. See if he can look me in the eye and blatantly lie. IF the money is his mother's he could tell me that is how he knows so much about it yet has no funds himself.

Other than that its bloody hard. It took me two years of gruelling internet dating even to find this miserly prince, and now I am 4 yrs older than when I started looking for a life partner that way. Older, fatter, uglier, more discerning... and now reeling from the shock of being lied to by the man I love. Dumping him may well mean I will be alone forever. Is that what I really want?

You won’t be alone forever, but it’s still better than being with a bare faced liar.

NasiDagang · 19/10/2024 21:21

fc123 · 19/10/2024 21:09

@AmIbeingUn
"Other than that its bloody hard. It took me two years of gruelling internet dating even to find this miserly prince, and now I am 4 yrs older than when I started looking for a life partner that way. Older, fatter, uglier, more discerning... and now reeling from the shock of being lied to by the man I love. Dumping him may well mean I will be alone forever. Is that what I really want?"

Ok. Can I be blunt?
I've been where you are and I know how it feels. But that statement about yourself means you need to do some work on it. Sorry 🙂

Your low self esteem has enabled this relationship. I'm not dismissing the genuine feelings you have for each other, the amazing sex (I hope he is a generous and virile lover 🙂) and the companionship but most of us would have dumped his stingy arse at the sight of 1 Ribena carton being pulled out of his pocket (for HIMSELF!) during the interval at the show.
He didn't think to shove TWO into his pocket.
All the derailing from posters saying it's normal to sneak in drinks to shows and they do it, and they're worth 5 million because they're so savvy with their finances bla bla bla ...ignore

Because it's what the single carton of Ribena represents. It's how he thinks. It's who he is

You have nailed it, he wasn't thinking about OP's needs. It's always about what he wants!

ThePenguinIsDrunk · 19/10/2024 21:23

BettyBardMacDonald · 19/10/2024 21:18

What's the difference?

Like I said in my post: one is a choice, the other not. The OP could have decided if she wanted to be with a skinflint or not. (Nothing against skinflints btw)

pikkumyy77 · 19/10/2024 21:23

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 20:39

I pasted it and saw it on the screen but when I clicked on "post" I noticed it did not display. Nothing I can do other than give you all my logins and I don't think anyone on here would think that wise!

Stop being baited by people to “prove” your bona fides. They are negging you just to get a rise out of you. A total waste of your energy.

Newposter180 · 19/10/2024 21:24

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 10:32

One of the ironies is that he actually set me up with stocks and shares and an ISA after I told him that I was putting what I had left over every month into a bank savings account. He explained that I could do better by investing that way. Then we actually sat together at my laptop and he showed me how to open the accounts online and all through doing this he never once said, "I have these accounts myself."

Also I would add that the inheritance he will get from his elderly wealthy mother's property and savings will give him at least £1m so he really does not need to squirrel away every last spare penny for his old age.

We do go out now and again if its something he really wants. For example one of those tribute bands was playing at our local theatre, a tribute to one of his favourite bands, and we went BUT he chose the cheapest possible tickets (ie the worst seats) and I had to pay for my own because he "could not afford" to pay for us both. Also I had to buy my own Maltesers in the lobby and he would not pay the theatre's inflated price. And in the interval when everyone made a dash to the bar he pulled out a small carton of Ribena.

Some people have mentioned about me "liking" him. We are well past that stage, telling one another "I love you" every day now for nearly 2 years.

The stupid thing is, I genuinely DO love him as a person, even as a totally skint person. This is about him lying to me, not about me wanting to get my hands on his money. The fact that I am still with him after nearly 2 years of no treats, no trips and constant frugality proves that.

Never mind the cash, the carton of Ribena would be the end for me!

jumpintheline · 19/10/2024 21:25

What a shame OP. He sounds great apart from this money shite. It doesn’t sound like you can continue as you are now though, knowing it’s a lie. What a bizarre thing to lie about for so long. I wonder what on earth is going through his head.

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 21:25

Namechangejustincase24 · 19/10/2024 20:29

So he’s only been in this house and living frugally for at the most 6 months before you met him? Was there evidence of ‘normal’ spending before eg good quality coats and shoes, kitchen equipment. I’m guessing his ex wouldn’t have had everything.

There was an overlap. They owned one house together then about 3 yrs ago he bought a second smaller house on his own, on a mortgage, to renovate and resell. Yes he has things like a good brand dishwasher and cooker and washing machine but no smart suits just jeans and tee shirts and jackets.

OP posts:
JadedSoJaded · 19/10/2024 21:26

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 21:08

He works for a charity, is that the reason he is so badly paid?

Then he’s not a consultant!

Notamumyetwisetho · 19/10/2024 21:28

I bring drinks and snacks to the cinema just out of principle for the silly prices they charge. But I don’t bring one, I buy a decent amount for me and my partner to share, and if we want nachos or something will buy that with the ticket! However this guy is taking stingy to another level to the point he is just existing and not living. I’m honestly shocked he’s still not living with his mum to be honest just to save more money

Moremustard · 19/10/2024 21:29

I think you need to confess to accidentally seeing the screen too... nobody is perfect. He is unlikely to want to be splashing cash on things he doesn't enjoy though, but I agree you should have an honest conversation with both 'yourself' and him. As you point out perfect men (and women) don't grow on trees. Change that password to be on the safe side though...

Thedogismybaby · 19/10/2024 21:29

I don't think you should be angry at his secrecy over his own, private finances. He hasn't made you pay anything back he's provided has he? I mean meals he's cooked and your 2 quid present. He TOLD you it was 2 quid, didn't pretend otherwise.

He is wealthy partly I think, because of the way he chooses to live. And that's fine and it also seems to suit you fine.

I don't really understand the upset, like there's an assumption you're owed something intangible?

Smittenkitchen · 19/10/2024 21:30

Absolutely awful behaviour. Ignore PPs trying to paint you as gold digger. It would be clear to anyone who had actually read even a few of your posts that you're not that at all. You just don't want to be lied to by your partner.
I think you have to confront him about it. Perhaps just what you saw on the laptop as it was completely by accident. But I suspect he's a life long massive miser, which is one thing but he's also a liar on top of that. I think this is the way he has been living for a long time, it sounds deeply entrenched. So you'll have to decide if you can get over the lying, are you willing to continue in this limited lifestyle with him, especially now knowing that it is not out of necessity.

JaneAustensHeroine · 19/10/2024 21:30

Crumbs. Being miserly is an unattractive character trait. I totally understand why he would not say much about the extent of his savings to a new partner but he is actually saying he is skint and behaving in a way that would confirm that. He isn’t even lying by omission but is being actively deceitful because he is telling you something he isn’t. If you had been together a few months, I could understand it but not two years. He can be as stingy as he likes with himself but his lie actually gets him out of doing anything nice for, or with, you.

I don’t know what I would do in your situation OP. I wonder if you needed money urgently for an unexpected bill would he offer or would he see you struggle? Next time a tribute band is playing (or you fancy doing something nice) say “I’d love to do this / go here but it’s quite expensive” and see what he says / does. If he does nothing, I’d take that as evidence that his miserly ways come far above your happiness.

I wonder how much you have actually been depriving yourself of nice events / holidays since being with him because you have told yourself they are not that important to you? Think about it OP.

gmgnts · 19/10/2024 21:30

£2 for a Christmas present from a charity shop (when you gave him an expensive coat) is exceptionally and extremely tight-arsed. A young child would spend more from their pocket money for a present. He is mean, tight, a skinflint, a miser - really not very attractive properties. Add that to his lying (by omission or not) and I would think very carefully about a future with this man.

wordler · 19/10/2024 21:31

BettyBardMacDonald · 19/10/2024 21:18

What's the difference?

The difference is the OP saying she wants to go to a nice restaurant for dinner, that she wants to go on holiday with him, that she suggests he could pay the cheap student for some labour on the house to give them more time together. And each time he says "I would love to but I haven't got the money to do that"

That's different from saying "I don't want to spend my money on that"

Not having the money at all made the OP feel sorry for him and prepared to sacrifice her preferences for the sake of the relationship - she also acted as unpaid labour on the house and bought him things to make his life easier like a winter coat and gloves etc - because she thought he was in such bad financial shape.

Saying I could buy that but I prefer not to use my money for that is a whole different scenario - it's giving the OP a choice to choose someone who would prioritise their quality of relationship. Not let her spend hours acting as an unpaid labourer.

fc123 · 19/10/2024 21:35

Notamumyetwisetho · 19/10/2024 21:28

I bring drinks and snacks to the cinema just out of principle for the silly prices they charge. But I don’t bring one, I buy a decent amount for me and my partner to share, and if we want nachos or something will buy that with the ticket! However this guy is taking stingy to another level to the point he is just existing and not living. I’m honestly shocked he’s still not living with his mum to be honest just to save more money

He's also not very good at it because to truly 'save' he should have filled an empty plastic bottle with some SuperSaver Ultra processed squash (max 0.5cm) and diluted it from the tap AND if he'd done TWO of them it would have cost less than the 20p carton of own brand Ribena 😂😂.

it's a state of mind.

but seriously OP. If the good bits are great, keep having those for now but really put some thought into how you feel about yourself.

and def no more labouring in his house

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