We live in a world where we have to constantly struggle to even afford the basic necessities of life. In such a situation, you can’t be generous with money, especially when it comes to spending on others. This is a major concern for many couples who are starting a new life together. One such example was shared by u/Majestic_Stuff3229 on Reddit, who experienced a sudden increase in expenses when his fiancé and their two children moved into their home. Explaining the details, this person pointed out that splitting the expenses in half was totally unfair to them.
A single parent of two boys, ages 11 and 10, the user is excited to welcome their fiancé and their two daughters, ages 12 and 13, into their new home. After noticing a noticeable increase in expenses after two months, the user, a financial consultant by trade, decided to put together a breakdown of their expenses to provide clarity to the Reddit community. Describing their monthly expenses before their fiancé and their kids moved in, they wrote: “Rent: $1,800; Food for me and my two kids: $460-520/month (depending on whether I bought in bulk); Electricity: $127; Water: $86; Heating/Hot Water (I have heated floors so water comes from the same tank): $190-210/month.”
They also had expenses they didn’t want to add to the problem, like personal subscriptions and insurance. But their total expenses nearly tripled after their fiancé, their kids, and their two dogs moved in. “Rent: $2,300/month (fees apply because they brought two dogs), food: $1,600-1,720, electricity: $392, water: $271, heating/hot water: $438,” they noted. Before moving in, the engaged couple compared their bills to what they were before his fiancé moved in, and discussed the extras being paid by him. “But then he got mad and said that would mean I’d be spending more than I did before he moved in,” they explained.
Her fiancé wanted a 50/50 split, believing he couldn’t afford to pay his fair share, even though he and the kids contribute significantly to the costs. “I told him that’s what we agreed upon, and that my bills went up so much when they moved in that I’m not going to go 50/50 and pay more than I did before they moved out,” she added. But the argument became so acrimonious that her fiancé started to rethink the whole arrangement. “I told him he’d pay what we agreed on until he decided to stay or go,” they finally said. But while the fiancé was skeptical that it was wrong to expect his fiancé to foot the majority of the bills, the internet rallied behind them.
“This isn’t just about numbers – there will be more cleaning, less personal space, and more noise, not to mention more wear and tear on furniture, linens, and other shared items. I think your plan is fair,” said u/calacmack. “NTA, food costs have tripled. This is awful. Have he and the girls always lived like this, or are they just taking advantage now? This is a fight to the death,” said u/Quiet_Hamster6509. “Get him out. This is a ridiculous increase and it’s unfair to ask you to pay more to cover his increased costs,” added u/Amazing_Reality2980.
