I thought I knew my husband, Matt. We’d been together for three years before we tied the knot. But just a week into our marriage, he dropped a bombshell that made me question everything.
We were sitting on the couch, watching TV, when Matt casually mentioned that his mom, Linda, would be handling our finances. I was taken aback. “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to keep my cool.
Matt explained that Linda had a system that had worked for their family for years. She would allocate my paycheck into three categories: 50% for Matt’s personal use, 25% for household expenses, and 25% for gifts to family and relatives.
I was horrified. “You can’t be serious,” I said, trying to process what I was hearing. Matt seemed taken aback by my reaction, but he insisted that this was the way things were done in his family.
I tried to reason with him, but he just kept saying that his mom knew best. That’s when I realized that I had to take matters into my own hands.
I started by pretending to go along with Linda’s plan. I even sent her a text, thanking her for her guidance and telling her that I was excited to learn from her. But all the while, I was secretly gathering evidence of her own financial mismanagement.
It wasn’t hard to find. A quick glance at Matt’s desk revealed a notebook filled with Linda’s expenses. I was shocked to see that she was spending thousands of dollars on designer clothes and jewelry, all while preaching to me about the importance of frugality.
I knew I had to confront her. So, I waited until the next time she came over, and then I presented her with the evidence. She was furious, but I stood my ground.
“You’re trying to control my finances,” I said, “but you’re not even managing your own.”
Linda stormed out of the apartment, but I knew that this was just the beginning. I had taken back control of my finances, and I was determined to make sure that Matt and I were on the same page.
It’s been a week since the confrontation, and things are slowly starting to improve. Matt is finally starting to see his mom for who she really is, and he’s apologized for his part in trying to control me.
I’m not sure what the future holds, but I do know one thing: I’m not going to let anyone control me again.
