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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:
Gwenhwyfar · 19/10/2024 11:01

HowYouSpellingThat10 · 19/10/2024 11:00

I'm on the fence with this one. I don't think he has claimed to be long term skint, more that he has a cash flow problem and immediate costs he needs to get out of the way.

Just because he has money doesn't mean it's necessarily easy to get at without penalty he'd be wanting to avoid. That might be ringfence for retirement.

He has a project he wants to keep within a set budget and not draw down on his other capital. But he's told you when it's over he will do fancy meals and treat you.

I can also see you might want to build a relationship not built on extravagant days out but on a proper connection.

To offer a different perspective.

He's got the money in his bank account!

Op doesn't get ANY days out, let alone extravagant ones.

JubilantTurquoiseGerbil · 19/10/2024 11:02

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 10:58

That is not the case. I stayed with him even though I believed him skint on a long term basis.

I am merely shocked at the fact that he has lied to me every day for 22 months. I am shocked that he is dressing himself from charity shops and denying himself all the pleasures of life whilst he is a millionaire.

And I am hardly poor myself. My house (mortgage paid off) is worth nearly a million, I also have stocks and shares and an ISA, and every month I have about £250 left over to spend on whatever I want after all my bills are paid. I don't need a man to keep me, and I would not want a man to, either, as I have too much pride. I have worked for my wages and maintained myself for nearly 40 years. Never had a penny inheritance, never been married or lived off a man.

Tell him all of this when you dump his lying, miserly ass. If his behaviour is motivated by misogyny as some PPs keep defending as ‘protection from gold-diggers’, then you have every right to be offended by that accusation as well.

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 11:02

@schoolfeeslave You ask, "How on earth has he managed to get £1.5m in a stocks and shares ISA?"

I don't know but here is my guess

  1. His grandparents were wealthy.
  2. He has worked in a professional role in I.T. for 35 years, the last 20 as a consultant.
  3. Never married, no children.
  4. Stashes it away every month and lives frugally.
OP posts:
Fruhstuck · 19/10/2024 11:02

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 10:45

The other thing that occurred to me is, by buying all his clothes in a charity shop he is preventing genuinely poor people from buying those items. With £1.5 million invested and another quarter-million in his bank account he can easily afford to fork out on some reasonably cheap clothes from a chain store or whatever.

I do have sympathy for you in that he has lied to you, but I’m afraid I find that comment ridiculous.

Could you start a conversation about being worried whether you both have enough for the future, and see what he says? Actually I would be tempted to tell him you are puzzled by what you saw on the laptop as it wasn’t your fault if he left it open to view. (I wouldn't tell him about the flat sale letter you read, as you shouldn’t have done that.)

AuldSpookySewers · 19/10/2024 11:02

I’d confront him and see what he says. He sounds dishonest but if you ask him directly about his financial situation and longer term plans, you’ll have your answer. Is he essentially a selfish git or is there a missing piece of the jigsaw?

I’m in my 50’s too and at this stage, I want to be enjoying weekends away, decent holidays, meals out, etc. before I get too old. I certainly wouldn’t be willing to compromise and miss out on life without a damn good reason.

MadinMarch · 19/10/2024 11:03

Gwenhwyfar · 19/10/2024 10:42

I don't think this has much to do with the renovations. He's tight and he always will be.

This..
Let him know you saw the stocks and shares ISA info (which won't be inaccessible to him) and how disappointed you are that he has misrepresented his situation meaning you can't do the everyday things together that most people who can afford it do. See what he says, then decide whether you want to continue the relationship or whether you've developed a terminal case of the ice.

Nanny0gg · 19/10/2024 11:03

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 09:41

You make a good point. I had not thought of that aspect of it before - I mean, that he is a habitual liar by nature. I have been focussing more on just the money. I have not (yet) found out that anything else he has ever told me is a lie.

He is obviously hyper-sensitive to potential gold diggers and that has made him mistrustful

The fact that you are clearly not hasn't changed his ways and I think that's a massive problem

Being with someone who is tight, secretive and a liar does not make for a relationship with a future

mumda · 19/10/2024 11:03

If you want to go forward then

  1. Suggest things you'd like to do.
  2. Don't offer to pay for him.
  3. Go do the nice things on your own.

He can be mean with his money, as long as he isn't expecting you to cough up, but if he wants you to not spend your own money as and when you want that's another thing.

butterpuffed · 19/10/2024 11:04

You need to have a conversation with him . I wouldn't call it snooping , you saw his screen by chance .

Maybe he's making sure his future is secure . He probably hasn't told you in case you see him in a different light . It does need sorting out .

NoTimeToChill24 · 19/10/2024 11:06

alwaysmovingforwards · 19/10/2024 10:35

You’ve broken trust with your snooping and are now grabby to improve your lifestyle with his finances.
They’re his life finances, not yours, not even close to being joint!
But weirdly you’re upset by the principle of him not openly declaring and sharing his wealth with you lol
Maybe he can sense your motivations so rightly doesn’t trust you yet.
Seriously… couldn’t make it up…

You should end it immediately.
Better for you both.
He can get on with the house renovation, you’re then freed up to find another man’s financial spreadsheet to interrogate and hopefully get better access to it by the sounds of it!

I bet the gentleman knows his lady’s financial circumstances that she didn’t mind sharing. Or at least, has a rough idea. And he would, wouldn’t he? Being so financially savvy.

But not wanting to shares his with her is his absolute right?

AmIbeingUn · 19/10/2024 11:06

Mrsttcno1 · 19/10/2024 11:01

See I’m not suggesting YOU are, but I can absolutely see that this is a smart way for him to behave if he is actually very wealthy.

See how a person behaves and how a relationship builds when the assumption is that he isn’t wealthy to see who is genuine. I can imagine if he opened with “I have 250k in the bank” he’d have a lot of women “falling in love” with him and maybe he just wants someone who wanted him for him not his bank account.

Yeah but he could just spend normally. Not saying he should splash it about ostentatiously, but buy a tee shirt from M&S for £10 instead of a charity shop for 50p?

And if you only go to the theatre once every 5 years why not spend £40 on the top price ticket instead of £16 to sit in a reduced-view seat behind a column?

And spend £20 on your girlfriend' Xmas pressie instead of £2.

There was no need for him to go so completely over the top. Especially when by getting to know me he knows I am 100% solvent AND too proud to ever sponge off a man.

OP posts:
coffeesaveslives · 19/10/2024 11:06

I'm really on the fence with this one - because I do think if this was a woman posting that she didn't want to divulge her financial status to her boyfriend that she had no intention of ever marrying, everyone would be saying "good for you - he'll just use you for your money" or "damn straight, don't give away your assets for a man".

But the Ribena in the theatre and the general stinginess would bother me - however, you've chosen to stay with him for (at least) two years despite all of this so I'm not sure it's really the issue here. I think you're angry that he has money you don't know about - which is fair enough.

ISATick · 19/10/2024 11:06

Name changed for this. I am well off, ISA around 900k, house worth 1.5 m (mortgage paid off) + shares worth 5-8 m (yes they do go up and down to this degree!). Not a penny inherited, all earned. My DH has his own ISA. I am late 50s. We were both accountants, retired this year. People without money assume those of us with money are always ski ing, have a housekeeper and generally swank around. Some of us live really quietly and don’t really spend.

Sounds like this man is the same. I wouldn’t dream of touching my ISA or my shares other than monitoring them of course, but I wouldn’t cash them in! This sort of thinking is why I have money. I think it’s lovely he helped you set up an ISA. My kids have been warned not to let boyfriends and girlfriends know they have money (in a trust plus ISAs), they are 18 and 21. They both will work full time of course. They aren’t spenders either. Our biggest luxury is flying business class on long haul.

I think your boyfriend is cautious and views money and his assets differently to you, he is clearly budgeting. I wouldn’t dump him but stinginess is very unattractive, give it some more time.

CantBelieveNaive · 19/10/2024 11:07

He's a miser and needs therapy. There's no point scrimping but he's got into a right rut.
He needs to invest in therapy and enjoy life with you.
You sound like a decent lady and very understanding but he has a massive flaw and it's impacting your own life.
My mum once had a boyfriend who we initially felt very sorry for as his wife had ran away with his best friend.
After some months it became clear why. He was the stingiest person we had ever met and the two escaped a half life with his meanness - they'd both had enough and so had my mum!! 🥹

NewFriendlyLadybird · 19/10/2024 11:07

That’s how rich people get rich and stay rich.

thepariscrimefiles · 19/10/2024 11:08

Silvertulips · 19/10/2024 09:41

So he’s a saver? Hes never asked you for money and refuses to let you help -

You are dating not married.

You get on and don’t share finances. He works part time and does his own renovations.

Im not sure what you are asking here?

Are you looking for marridge?

It's not the money, it's the lies. Why say you are absolutely skint when you have over a million in savings? He doesn't have to tell her that he is incredibly wealthy or reveal anything about his finances at all but to say that he has no money and feels awful about buying her a £2 present from a charity shop as that's all he can afford is absolutely weird and deceitful behaviour.

MrsJoanDanvers · 19/10/2024 11:09

Omg, I’m semi retired and my income is 28k. I have a bit of savings. So not well off but I’d never consider myself unable to afford treats if I wanted to. Taking a carton of Ribena to the theatre is really stingy behaviour IMO and much more so if you have all that in the bank. Different if you’re having to buy tickets for kids etc but as it’s just the 2 of you-and saying he can’t treat you because he can’t afford to is a lie. Imagine the misery of being wedded to that.

FranticFrankie · 19/10/2024 11:10

You don’t sound like a gold digger at all OP.
I’d be a little shocked and hurt but I wouldn’t rush into ending it. Someone as ‘careful’ as he is wouldn’t have left his screen open accidentally would he? Maybe he meant you to see it? And to see if things changed between you?
If you’re happy as you are, then OK
Maybe he’s planning a big reveal soon?

wizzywig · 19/10/2024 11:10

Isn't it early days in your relationship? Enjoy the amazing sex and breakfasts he cooks.

Figsonit · 19/10/2024 11:10

All the talk of gold diggers is just excusing his lying. I doubt he's ever met a gold digger in his life. He lies so he can maintain the frugal lifestyle he enjoys. He doesn't care that the OP is also being deprived of holidays and treats she wants to pay for herself.

He's future faking, pretending he'll spend normally when his house is finished. He won't. He knows nobody would want to be with him if he reveals the truth that he's simply a miser.

Startrekkeruniverse · 19/10/2024 11:11

The £2 Christmas present and the ribena would kill it off for me. If someone genuinely has no money then fair enough but he just sounds a tight bastard.

atotalshambles · 19/10/2024 11:11

I think there is nothing with being careful with money but he is a miser.

Fs365 · 19/10/2024 11:12

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?

both , you have invaded his privacy and his is blatantly lied

ChampagneLassie · 19/10/2024 11:12

all those suggesting this would be different if it were a woman, he shouldn’t disclose full financial details etc. that’s not the issue. It sounds like @AmIbeingUn is in a similar league - £1m house, earns well enough to invest and save. He didn’t need to disclose anything. It’s the lying that he’s broke and to keep mentioning it to such an extent that @AmIbeingUn has offered to help him and insisting they can’t do things because he can’t afford them when in fact he’s very wealthy.

TwistedWonder · 19/10/2024 11:12

coffeesaveslives · 19/10/2024 11:06

I'm really on the fence with this one - because I do think if this was a woman posting that she didn't want to divulge her financial status to her boyfriend that she had no intention of ever marrying, everyone would be saying "good for you - he'll just use you for your money" or "damn straight, don't give away your assets for a man".

But the Ribena in the theatre and the general stinginess would bother me - however, you've chosen to stay with him for (at least) two years despite all of this so I'm not sure it's really the issue here. I think you're angry that he has money you don't know about - which is fair enough.

I agree. I see this is totally separate things. The investments being parked to one side and not considered as for day to day living I totally understand.

But the absolute stinginess in general is a huge ick. Being very tight with life in general is a very unattractive trait.

Not expecting him to splash the cash but using a couple of grand from his savings for the odd holiday, nice night out or weekend away wouldn’t kill him

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