'You make good money, so what's the big deal?': 24-year-old woman spends boyfriend's money without permission, spending hundreds of dollars on shopping, leading him to demand a breakup

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Sep 26, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

My boyfriend's income is bigger than mine, but never have I ever spent his money because of that. Sure, his contribution to the rent is slightly bigger, and during tighter months, he takes care of the bills, but I would never use his money to buy myself stuff that I don't really need. 

If I can't afford it on my own, there is no reason he should buy it for me.

That is the mantra the girl in the story should have followed if she wanted to keep her boyfriend around. Most couples don't have equal earnings, so setting boundaries and ground rules is crucial if they want the relationship to succeed. If any one of them disrespects the other's income, the chances they would be able to take care of a household together are slim. Which is exactly why the couple in the story below failed.

This young man grew tired of the way his girlfriend treats his money, and she refused to admit that she takes advantage of their differences in income. Keep scrolling to read the full tale.

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  • 01
    Woman Shopping Online with a Credit Card
    via Aflo Images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AIO for breaking up with my girlfriend over her wasting my money?

    So my (26M) girlfriend (24F) of 2 years has been getting really careless with money lately and it's driving me insane.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 03
    Last month she ordered $200 worth of clothes online then returned half of it, but kept buying more stuff before the refund even came through.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 04
    She also has this habit of leaving food to rot in the fridge after I buy groceries, then wanting to order takeout instead.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 05
    The final straw was when she used my credit card (with permission) to buy her sister a birthday gift and spent $150 on some designer purse without even asking me first.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 06
    When I confronted her about it she just said 'you make good money so what's the big deal' and that really ped me off.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 07
    I work 50+ hours a week in construction and she works part time at a boutique, so yeah there's an income difference but that doesn't mean she can just blow through my cash like it's nothing.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 08
    I told her we need to have better communication about spending and she rolled her eyes and said I was being controlling.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 09
    So I ended things yesterday and now she's telling all our friends that I'm a cheap a hole who broke up with her over money.
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 10
    Am I overreacting here or was this justified
    via Fuzzy-Interview-8976
  • 11
    Person Using Credit Card For Online Payment
    via @khwanchai-phanthongs-images

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12
    monkeyinalongue Not overreacting at all. Respect for money is respect for your time and effort, and she clearly didn't value either. It's not about being cheap, it's about boundaries, trust, and responsibility. You made the right call.
    via monkeyinalongue
  • 13
    Ginger630 NOR! You got rid of a golddigger before she could sink her claws further into you. If she wants nice stuff, to buy people nice stuff, or eat take out every night, she can get a better job. Keep on eye on that credit card. She could have written down the number and expiration date so she could use it again. Keep on eye on your credit score and report if she ever had access to any of your information. Change passwords to any accounts she had access to. Change the locks if she ever had a
    via Ginger630
  • 14
    NOR LUL_Level-Up-Life Because here's the thing, you DIDN'T break up with her about money. You wanted to have a boundary talk because of money. You broke up with her because she rolled her eyes about your boundaries. And call me a feminist, but it's 2025, and I think women need to respect men's boundaries as much as men need to respect women's boundaries.
    via LUL_Level-Up-Life
  • 15
    DryStatistician7055 NOR, you're allowed to break-up w/someone for any reason.
    via DryStatistician7055
  • 16
    ConstructionGold8583 Woof no you did the right thing. First step is always to start the lines of communication. Second step is listening and taking in the information your partner is giving you. third step is taking the time to understand their needs and seeing what can be done/comprimised/etc. If my man acted the way your former GF did I would have dropped him, because it meant he didnt respect me, my time, nor my hardwork.
    via ConstructionGold8583
  • 17
    GEZZFACEKILLA Dodged a bullet. Go buy a lotto ticket.
    via GEZZFACEKILLA
  • 18
    Bruno_lars NOR and her cr p talking you to her friends is all the closure you need after stealing your money. Bye Felicia
    via Bruno_lars
  • 19
    TangerineCouch 18330 It's not just the money. It's the lack of respect that she is showing for you. This is a big red flag. You don't want this to turn into some Long term relationship because that type of behavior will cause things to blow up. End it.
    via TangerineCouch18330
  • 20
    jtdusk Nah, f that. I would've started packing at that 'you make good money so what's the big deal' comment. No respect for you, your boundaries or what you do to make money. Get out and let some other chump share a bank account or a home with her and you can watch the wreckage from a distance.
    via jtdusk
  • 21
    [deleted] You're fine. But next time, the time to have discussions about how the money goes needs to hsppen PRIOR to living together or giving someone access to your cards and bank account. 24 and all ahe is doing is working part time in a boutique? Go find someone who grinds as hard as you do and cares about building something with you.
    via [deleted]

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