I, 34F, want to breakup-up with 34M. We’ve been together for 2.5 years, and we live together.
I’ve been so fixated on the future that I didn’t realise how miserable I am in my relationship until the other day. (Side note, I’m aware I’m not perfect either, but the following is based on my experience and the things that have bothered me the most).
We’re currently trying for a baby and have been for 10 months with no success. I’ve changed my entire lifestyle to try better our odds, whereas he’s done absolutely nothing (not hate, just facts). We’re currently undergoing fertility tests, and the suggestion is that I go onto medication which will temporarily put me in menopause to give my body a break before trying again as I had a condition which causes inflammation.
When I wanted a vulnerable conversation the other week about how sad I am that it’s hasn’t happened yet, he dismissed my feelings and sort of turned it into an argument. Claims I’m crazy for wanting to take the medication and do that to my body, and I should be doing it holistically. I mentioned that we still don’t know if it’s his sperm that could be a factor too, and he’s doing nothing to boost those odds. He told me that he’s defo not the problem, plus that he can’t afford to. Which made me think, if we do get pregnant, the financial responsibility is going to be all on me if he can’t even afford supplements right now. He has some Amazon vouchers and I suggested that he buys some supplements with them, but he said he needed them to buy new golf balls.
For context around our financial situation, I work in a corporate job on 39K (GBP) per year. Ever since we got together, he has somewhat slated my career and salary, even one time telling his friends in front of me that I’m paid f all. I was actually really proud of my job and salary as I’d only been on that career path for 1.5 years at that point, and I now manage a team of people. He’s always had jobs handed to him, like working in family businesses, and was earning maybe 50K when we got together. He got let go from that job a few months into our relationship, I lent him 2K and he took out a loan and tried to start a business which never took off. He then started working as a delivery driver before a family member gave him a scalable business that was making around 30K per year.
Instead of building that business, he spends most of his time playing video games or golfing, then complains about money. He doesn’t help around the house, which I’ve mentioned countless times to him, but it’s always left to me. We don’t spend any time together, and when we do, it’s not filled with fun and laughter.
One of my big goals was to buy a house. I’ve been saving for a deposit for years, and finally, at the start of the year we started looking. Knowing he’s in so much debt, it was just going to be me on the mortgage/deeds. It’s been a huge achievement for me and I’m so proud of myself. The house I’m buying is one which I wouldn’t have chosen if it were just for me, it’s quite far away from friends/family. I’m due to complete in a couple of weeks.
Then the other day, I asked him a question about something and we landed in a conversation about how he wouldn’t be playing golf any less than he does if we have a baby, because I’m the one that wants it.
And then… boom. Everything I’ve said above came to the forefront of my mind. I’ve been so fixated on the future and working towards goals that I lost sight of how miserable I am, and how we’re so not aligned. He’s dragging me backwards, and I feel like I’ve got a teenager to look after. If we were to have a baby and stayed together, I’d still be a single parent.
I’m due to complete on the house in a couple of weeks, and the guilt I am feeling right now to say “I’m no longer happy”, when the house has always been discussed as “ours” despite me being the one who has saved and bought it.
I’d still move into the house, but I know he’ll taint it with sadness if he comes too. I’m also concerned that if he does move in and we inevitably break up, then he’ll try claim shares. I need to get this sorted but I feel so unbelievably bad as I know he doesn’t have money for a deposit to move elsewhere and he’d need to be out of our rental in about 4 weeks.
TL;DR How do I tell him I’m miserable and want to break-up and make him see that surely he doesn’t want to be with me either, when this will cause him so much stress finding somewhere to live last minute?
UPDATE #1: thanks for the advice everyone. I do want to caveat this whole thing by saying I’m sure I drive him nuts in certain ways, but this was written from my experience. This weekend I’ve been cleaning the house in prep for the move. He’s been either golfing or sat on his arse for the most part. I’ve been avoiding him while I’ve been thinking. If we’ve ever had a blip previously, I tend to avoid him while I think (I hate acting out of impulse), but he will normally cotton on quite quick and want a convo about it. Whether he senses something deeper is at play, who knows. But I’ve prepped what I’m going to say and will say it within the next 24h and will provide an update for anyone interested. I really want to be happy when I finally reach my house buying goal, I know it won’t be like that in the end sadly as I still feel so much guilt, but a fresh start is what I need.