Trust is the foundation of any relationship, but what happens when major financial decisions are made behind your back? That sort of thing can lead to all sorts of unpleasantness and even a lasting rift between the person who made the call and the one left in the dark.
One woman was shocked to learn that the cash she and her husband had set aside to buy a new car had suddenly been lent to his mother—all without so much as a conversation about it. Furious, she turned to netizens to let off some steam.
More info: Reddit
Infidelity doesn’t have to be romantic to hurt, as this woman found out the hard way
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Freepik (not the actual photo)
After her car was totaled in an accident, she and her husband saved up $7.5K to buy a new one
Image credits: Splloganathan / Freepik (not the actual photo)
She kept sending her husband options, but he suspiciously declined every single one without any justification
Image credits: DC Studio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
A week later, she found out he’d loaned the $7.5K to his mom, they’d kept it a secret from her, and the money had been spent
Image credits: Twigs-Rain
She’s since turned to netizens to ask if she’s overreacting to her husband and mother-in-law’s betrayal—despite eventually getting the cash back
OP begins her story by telling the community that she wrecked her car in an accident and, despite having another car, it’s not reliable and a 2-seater, which makes it difficult to load her two toddlers into. After saving up for another car, the couple realized they couldn’t withdraw the cash they’d saved up from an ATM because of withdrawal limits.
As a workaround, they decided to send the cash to OP’s mother-in-law so she could draw it for them or at least get a cashier’s check. OP then explains that her mother-in-law is a business owner, and she was short on payroll, so OP’s husband secretly agreed to loan his mom the money they’d sent her.
OP says she couldn’t figure out why her hubby kept declining every car she sent him and even complained to his mother about it twice in conversations they had, but the mother said nothing. Well, a week later, OP’s husband came clean, and she was furious. She turned to netizens to ask if she was overreacting to the betrayal.
In an update to her original post, OP says her husband had made the agreement with his mother to get the loan back with interest, so the couple could shop for a slightly more expensive car. He told OP he realized he messed up and should have talked to her about it first. In the end, OP says they finally got the money back and got a new ride.
When people think of infidelity in a marriage, they usually picture secret text messages, late-night phone calls, or sneaky behavior that leads to an affair. But what if I told you that cheating isn’t always about romance? Sometimes, it’s about cold, hard cash.
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
In her article for The Guardian, Zoe Williams writes that a survey by US News & Report sketched out how widespread so-called “financial infidelity” is.
Some 30% of couples questioned by researchers described lies they had experienced or told in their relationship, the main one being secret purchases (31%), followed by hidden debts (28%) and dishonesty about income (23%).
In his piece for Forbes, Bobby Hoyt offers some advice to married couples on how to keep the peace when it comes to cash. Hoyt recommends talking about money early and often, tracking your spending and investments, creating a realistic financial plan, setting the same goals, and rewarding yourself for your money wins.
Trust in a marriage isn’t just about staying faithful—it’s also about honesty in all areas, including money. When one partner repeatedly makes financial decisions without transparency, it can have long-term consequences. At least in OP’s case, her husband’s behavior was a one-off, but she’d probably do well to keep an eye on her mother-in-law.
What would you have done if you’d found yourself in OP’s shoes? Do you think this was a major betrayal or just a misguided decision? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
In the comments, readers agreed that the woman wasn’t overreacting, and one went so far as to say her mother-in-law can never be trusted with their money again
