So my girlfriend and I have been living with each other for about 8 months, but have been dating for a little over 4 years. She's been a nail tech for a little over 2 years now, but hasn't been too successful. Current she's bringing in maybe $1000 a month. So she doesn't really contribute to any of the household bills, groceries, or home repairs going on, which I've been okay with in the past. I understand jobs like these take time to build up clientele, so I've taken on the finances in our relationship. But we have both agreed that we don't plan on having kids in the future, and I've been very vocal about not wanting a traditional relationship, I want a relationship where both parties contribute financially, and take care of the house chores together. I grew up with a single father, so I've been cleaning, cooking, and doing my own laundry for years, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of my self.
I just havent seen a whole lot of growth in my girlfriends nail business, because frankly she is just too shy and timid to get out there and socialize. I've found part time work opportunities for her, but she keeps turning them down, because she want to focus on nails.
Well recently she told me how her favorite artist(Harry styles) is going on tour and she want to go, but the nearest one is in New York City ( we live in Texas). I told her I wasn't sure how I felt knowing that she wasn't able to contribute to bills, but she could be buying concert tickets, and how going to new york city would be our big trip for the year. My girlfriend can't drive in mid size city's and doesn't do good in crowded area. So I would have to buy both of us plane tickets, pay for hotel, transportation, and anything else I that comes up.
The pre sale came yesterday and she went ahead and bought the tickets, and is already taking about plane tickets, hotels, and what restaurant we need to go to. I just feel so frustrated knowing that I basically got no say in the one vacation we take a year.
11 comments
Tell her no
So she has these concert tickets, but if she can’t actually make it to NYC, I guess she’ll be selling them! In other words, her buying the tickets still doesn’t lock you into going on the trip.
Did she at least buy them with her own money? Because if she has access to your funds and is buying expensive things you don’t want, that’s a whole other problem.
Little bit of tough love here.:
You need to take some responsibility for the role you’re playing here. You didn’t have a say in your vacation because you haven’t just flatly told her no. You’ve also been subsidizing her life so she’s gotten comfortable. But this doesn’t seem compatible to your long term plans .
You need to talk to her, not us. You need to tell her that you’re not comfortable taking on this much of the financial burden of your finances and work with her to come up with a solution.
You can work through this but only if you both start talking and listening
Stop being so passive. You have agency, and you can absolutely say no to a trip that you didn’t agree to fund. If you want an equal financial partner, you should find someone else, because your current girlfriend isn’t it.
She’s already used to you paying for everything, so she has zero incentive to change her irresponsible spending habits or look for a better job. She’s taking advantage of your kindness, and you’re enabling her bad behaviour by refusing to hold her accountable.
Do you want to subsidize her forever?
Even if you do, I think you should ask how she plans on paying for the trip because you never actually said yes. Dealing with the expectation that she can take money out of your wallet whenever she feels like it is going to make a difficult situation harder.
Dealing with 90 percent of the expenses of a shared life might be worth it for someone who likes you. She’s not acting like someone who likes you.
You don’t have to go with her. Tell her to go with one of her girlfriends. And then maybe you could for her to join you on a vacation of your choosing another time this year
You’re being a weak man. This is embarrassing, no? A strong man would never put up with this. Find your dignity because it’s missing and she’s using you and you know it.
Okay, so she’s using you for your finances and you can’t say “no” because….?
It’s interesting you both decided you don’t want kids because you are raising one and she became one…
It’s obvious that’s she’s young and not thinking about bills and responsibilities so she randomly splurge on a vacation across the US.
You really need to sit down with her and have an adult conversation. It’s fine she wants to do nails but her income/clientele is not picking up as it should. Nothing wrong with her doing nails on weekend and working a full time job during the week.
You are definitely too young and not financially stable to be the main income with a basically stay at home spouse. Have you ever told her she NEED to get a job or you don’t think you can stay? If she wants to be a stay at home spouse and do nails forever making $1000 then you two are not compatible.
Dude, you have a choice.
Say no. She bought the tickets she can sell them, probably can even get more money from them if she sells them closer to the concert.
Seriously, you have a choice.