'This isn't an emergency or a death, it's a vacation': Shady husband wants to pay for brother's overseas wedding trip using joint bank account, calls wife 'insensitive' for refusing

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    AITA for not agreeing with my husband to fund his brother's trip from our joint savings?
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    I (37F) and my husband (38M) have been married for 9 years with 2 kids (8y/o and 1y/o). We are both working and my husband earns more than me. From the start of our marriage, we agreed to keep a joint bank account and a personal bank account. In this way, we are able to share with the responsibilities of covering our family expenses and have our own money for personal needs.
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    Recently, my BIL (41M) shared the news that his SIL that lives overseas is getting married. Her immediate family in the country has been invited to attend the wedding. Her only sister, my BIL's wife, is expected to be there. The trip will require visa and of course, plane tickets. As we know traveling is a bit expensive. My BIL has to pay for his
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    plane tickets and visa processing as not all the expenses can be covered by his SIL. For this, my BIL is asking (not borrowing) money from my husband to fund his travels. My husband was planning to give out but he would take. it from our joint account and not his personal account. I firmly said no and told him that if he wants to help he can
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    get money from his personal account and give what he can afford. I also said that if his BIL cannot afford the trip then he shouldn't be joining. His wife can go with her family to attend the wedding.
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    My husband is now upset as he said that I said no and even mentioned that I was a bit insensitive as my family side was never in the situation to ask extra money from us. I told him that I do help. out with my family side's expenses in case of emergency but I never touch. our joint account in helping them.
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    My BIL is still pestering my husband for his "contribution" but my husband is still silent on how much to give. So, AITA in this situation?
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    SolmaRedditUserNow 13h ago. • It would seem like a reasonable thing for BIL to _borrow money. But a gift? That seems like a lot. Seems odd that your husband won't fund it out of his own account. One wonders if he can't, or it is so much that he doesn't want to. at any rate NTA
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    tatsrus1 • 13h ago NTA. I see a lot of red flags here. The purpose of joint accounts is so each person can spend their own money how they want. If it's a joint expenditure then there's negotiations involved. As this is his family and not yours, there's no reason why you should have to contribute anything at all.
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    I'm guessing because of the separate nature of your accounts he doesn't know how much you have and vice versa. There are a few scenarios that could be at play here - none of which is good:
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    1. He at saving money and doesn't have it to give but the pressure is killing him 2. He has enough money but doesn't want to decrease his savings to fund someone else's trip 3. He agreed to separate accounts to keep your hands off his money but believed he can manipulate you into spending money for his purposes
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    In all cases he's looking out for himself. Stay strong. Say no. If you break down now you're inviting him to guilt trip you until you have no money left and he has all the money.
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    SomeKindofName42 13h ago • Best monitor that account. Very closely. Partner can always take money out of a joint account without permission. And you have NO recourse for getting it back, because the purpose of a joint account is that both people are allowed to do whatever with it. NTA. Stuff like this needs to come from a personal account, not joint.
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    SheiB123 13h ago . • NTA. A loan maybe but not an outright gift. Your husband can pay from his own account, not joint if he wants to GIVE the money. WHY does anyone have to 'contribute'?!?
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    Clean_Factor9673 • 13h ago NTA. It isn't a joint expense. Why isn't SILs family helping them?
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    Desperate_Age6592 13h ago NTA. This isn't an emergency or a death, it's a vacation. Either way, if both parties don't agree on how the money should be spent, then it shouldn't be spent it's a JOINT account. He can help his brother with HIS personal money, like you said. But I don't fund vacations; let's see if your husband does.
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    Also, why was he so keen on spending the joint savings but not keen on spending his personal money??
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    becoming_maxine • 13h ago NTA Stick on this. This is why you have separate personal accounts. My SO and I go the same route with family. Shared expenses out of the joint account. But if my son needs money for a car repair its all me. If his daughter needs money for a deposit on an apartment its on him.
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    Round_Butterfly2091 · 13h ago NTA Your husband is more than welcome to help his brother on his own dime just like you did with your family. It is wild that he feels entitled to give your joint money away without a fuss.
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    If he makes more money than you, why doesn't he have enough saved up? If he has enough funds, he's an even bigger AH for wanting to use your shared accounts. Does he have a spending problem?

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