Moving out together is a big step for any couple, but for one woman, it turned out to be a financial headache. In a post on a popular online forum, the author, a 29-year-old woman, explained that her 33-year-old boyfriend asked her to move in with him, but he wants her to contribute to the mortgage payments. She refused, which caused tension in their relationship.
Moving Together
According to the report, the woman and her boyfriend have been dating for three years. Her boyfriend owns the house and lives there alone, while she lives in her apartment. They discussed moving in together, but the woman worries about co-paying her boyfriend’s mortgage.
“I refuse to pay any money that would go directly to his mortgage,” she wrote. “I don’t have a stake in the house, why would I contribute to his mortgage payments? I can help with utilities, groceries, household items, etc. But paying his mortgage is hard for me.”
Her boyfriend claims that if she moves in with him and doesn’t pay her mortgage, she will essentially live with him for free. He also believes that this will lead to uneven dynamics in their payments for general living expenses.
However, the woman believes that she does not need to contribute to the mortgage, because it is not profitable for her to pay it off if they part. She suggested that her boyfriend sign a contract with her, which stated that any money she paid on his mortgage would be returned to her in the event of a breakup. Her boyfriend refused to sign anything like that, saying she could break up with him for no reason and then sue him for thousands of dollars.
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His mortgage, his liability
The post received a number of responses from other Reddit users, some of whom supported the woman’s decision not to contribute to mortgage payments, while others sided with her boyfriend.
One user wrote: “You are not an investor in his property. You will never see this money again. His mortgage is his responsibility. You have to pay your fair share for utilities and groceries, but that’s about it.”
Another user commented: “This is his house, so this is his mortgage. I think it makes sense for him to ask you for a financial donation if you’re moving in together, but if you’re uncomfortable paying your mortgage, don’t do it.”
Find a new arrangement
Others have suggested that the couple should consider other options, such as having the woman pay rent to her boyfriend, or the couple set up a joint bank account to pay for common expenses.
Some have even gone so far as to suggest that the couple not live together if they cannot come to an agreement on the matter. One user commented: “If you are not happy with this arrangement, you need to find a new one where you can separate things more evenly. If that means living in separate apartments for a while, then so be it.”
The post has since gone viral with over 5,000 upvotes and 1,000 comments. This sparked a heated debate about partners’ responsibilities when it comes to living together and sharing costs.
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Cohabitation is more than a romantic solution
In the end, the decision of whether or not to pay the money for mortgage payments is for the woman and her boyfriend to make together. While some Reddit users sided with her and thought she shouldn’t pay, others thought her boyfriend’s request was reasonable.
As one user put it, “It’s a conversation about boundaries, expectations, and communication, and it seems like there are some issues that need to be addressed.”
In any case, this post serves as a reminder that living together is not just a romantic decision, but also a financial one, and it is important for couples to be clear about their expectations and responsibilities before taking this step.
This article is inspired by the Internet and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Wealthy Nickel. You can read the original thread Here.
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Andrew Herrig is a financial expert and financial nerd, and the founder of Wealthy Nickel, where he writes about personal finance, part-time jobs, and entrepreneurship. As an avid real estate investor and owner of several businesses, he has a passion for helping others create wealth and shares his family’s experiences on his blog.
Andrew holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Dallas and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He has worked as a financial analyst and accountant in many aspects of the financial world.
Andrew’s expert financial advice has been featured on CNBC, Entrepreneur, Fox News, GOBankingRates, MSN and more.