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Guilty Spending/Spoiling

AtMyWitsEndNY's picture

Among numerous other issues I'm battling in my relationship, one in particular that really enraged me is how my boyfriend insists in buying his daughters (ages 5 and 7) new wardrobes every other weekend. For Christmas he bought the 7 year old and iPod and the 5 year old a flat screen TV for her room at her Mother's house, along with more clothes. It really enrages me that he gives his ex wife $720 a month, plus buying the kids new clothing constantly. Tonight he spent $101.25 on them at Kohl's. Prior to this trip he spent $200+ on Christmas dresses, coats, shoes and accessories... It's always a shopping spree.

Meanwhile, he has two sons with me and its a fight when I need money for them. And it's rare that he buys them anything.

I removed myself from a living situation with him going in almost a year now. Financial issues have always been a big piece to the puzzle. On weekends he has his daughters he spends almost his entire paycheck. There were many times bills couldn't be paid on time because of it. Never before had I lived like that...

Tonight we were supposed to be get together with the kids at his parents church. Once I found out his reason for running an hour behind schedule (he was at Kohl's buying them more clothing), I told him that he pays his ex $720 a month. She sends clothes with them, he has clothes for them at his place also... It's unfair that he doesn't support his boys like that at all. And, there's numerous bills that he needs to pay (fines from tickets, etc. in order to restore his drivers license.)... His response to me: "shut up dude".

This guilty spending/spoiling,,, what is it going to take for him to realize?

Comments

Gabriels Mom's picture

That's crap. We have similar issues. DH doesn't go that hog wild though. I would seriously flip out if he did. When we were dating I could never understand how he never had any money and I always did, he makes twice what I make. When we got married I figured it out. He was skipping on paying the bills and spending it on his kid. Sometimes he buys stuff for SS in front of DS and that really ticks me off, not like clothes he might need but toys and stuff(SS and DS are both his sons)

Are you receiving child support? If not you need to get yourself down to CSE and file for it.

notagain2012's picture

I'm sorry to hear that. My bf used to do that , but not on a grand scale. Us moving into seperate places, and the bf having to take on all the responsiblity put a quick end to a lot of it. And SS getting on the phone, and hearing what SS wants, and being asked what they were doing helped to. And by example, me not doing it to my son.

Does he pay you child support? CO or otherwise? If not, I think its time you seriously consider getting this done. It will elimate any argument over what he needs to pay etc. And he definitely won't like it, but at least your kids will have what they deserve from him before he spoils these others.

Also, do you still 'support" him in other ways? Are you driving him all over town, using your gas, and time and not getting reimbursed? Do you have "bills" of his in your name that you share and will ne ultimately responsible for when he decides not to pay? When you guys go out, do you go dutch, or often pay for both of you? Do you even get to go out, just the two of you?
These are just a few questions you need to ask yourself. And I suggest you then decide how much you are willingly to, and how far you are willing to ride this out.

You don't have to answer those questions to me by any means, but you should answer those questions for yourself. Exactly how much are you doing for him, and enabling him to do this to you and your kids.

If you hope to one day live with him again, to me, this doesn't sound very promising. At least for your financial health.

It took my bf quite some time. He was a 'rider' on my cell phone bill while we lived together. He moved out, and was blowing his money. I was only asking him to continue to pay 50 for his line towards the bill. By the second month, he hadn't paid. I cut the line( even though I had to cancel the contract etc) and he went to get his own.

His cell phone now cost him over a hundred bucks a month. And when he b@$$#@es about it, I don't say a word.

AtMyWitsEndNY's picture

Yes! That's me! Only, we aren't married. Those plans completely fell through once I moved out.

Disneyfan's picture

He's doing this because you allow it.

This grown ass man with four kids is living off of you and his mother. If the two of you were to kick him out, he'd get his act together. (Or find another woman to use)

He comes across as a man who is sticking around to avoid paying CS.

Delilah's picture

This carries on because he can do it and you allow it.

What are you afraid of? That he dumps you and your relationship ends? Honey, hes using you and you are bank rolling the skids spoiling while your kids go without. Your poor kids I say.

Got to agree with the advice already given, file for CS. He has had multiple chances to support your children and to include them in the attention he lavishes on the skids, but he doesnt. Time to be firm and DO something about it. Leave him with no choice and force the issue. If he dumps you, you know he was only with you in order to avoid paying his way and tbh do you want to be with someone who is not with you for YOU?!

oneoffour's picture

File for CS. His ex did and won. You may not get as much as she does but it will be a regular amount.

And let him go. He is behaving like a child with their pocket money every week. Spend spend spend... he has never been taught how to manage his money or what his priorities/responsibilities are.

What does he bring to your life? Pretend for a minute you don't have the boys... what joy does he bring to your life? What does he contribute to your happiness? When was the last time he did anything selfless for you?

Anon2009's picture

I agree with oneoffour and everyone else here. File for CS and let him go. And surround yourself with men who are important to you- ie. your dad, stepdad, brothers, stepbrothers, etc. so your boys can have good male role models in their lives.

You need to do this because he is NOT going to realize. You've been moved out for awhile now and he hasn't figured anything out or realized that he needs to make changes.

You need to do this not just for your boys but for your SDs too. At 5 and 7, there isn't anything they can really do about this situation. It is unhealthy for any child, them included, to have to grow up around so much resentment. Kids really do pick up on that, even if they don't say anything directly about it.