Something that is often all too frequently overlooked when couples begin to share a home, is that they also must now share their homes financial responsibility.
While some couples tend to just make it easy, and split all finances 50/50, others might choose what they consider to be a more equitable option.
Such as splitting payments according to their income, or if one of them is the primary breadwinner, one person handling all the finances.
Initially, Redditor Living_Buffalo_6 and his girlfriend both paid rent on a proportional scale, based off their income.
However, when both of them saw a significant change in their finances, the original poster (OP)'s girlfriend felt a change in how they divided the rent and bills was necessary.
Something the OP disagreed with wholeheartedly.
Wondering if he was being unreasonable, the OP took to the subReddit "Am I The A**Hole" (AITA), where he asked fellow Redditors:
"AITA for expecting my girlfriend to pay proportional rent and bills?"
The OP explained why they were not in favor of their girlfriend's desire to change their current payment plan with their rent and bills.
"I (29 M[ale]) have lived together with my girlfriend (29 F[emale]) for three years."
"We have always split bills and rent proportional to income (she introduced this idea and explained why she supports its equitable breakdown) and we both do chores and housework equally."
"Up until a month ago, I earned almost double her income."
"However, my company has been doing pay cuts and my girlfriend recently got a major promotion, so now she makes about 50% more than I do."
"However, now she wants us to 'either keep the rent/bills pay distribution as it was before' (as in she pays 35% and I pay 65%) or she 'will pay 50/50, max'."
"I asked her why we are not doing proportional splits anymore and she said I should just be grateful that she is flexible enough to upend her finances for me and split it 50/50."
"She's been cold with me recently and told me she shouldn't have to punish herself for her financial successes and that my 'lack of adaptability is off putting'."
"AITA?"
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation, by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You're The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community unanimously agreed that the OP was not the a**hole for want to keep the proportional rent agreement he had with his girlfriend.
Everyone agreed that the OP's girlfriend was being selfish and unfair, and was only thinking of herself, with many even urging the OP to question whether or not staying in this relationship was a good idea.
"So it's appropriate to pay proportionally when you make more than she does, but 50/50 when she makes more than you?"
"Yeah."
"No."
"That doesn't work."
"NTA."- Intelligent-Prune-33
"NTA."
"She's counting on this not being something you want to break up over."
"TBH if I was you, this WOULD be the hill I die on."
"F that."- gnothro
"This is absolutely relationship-ending behavior."
"She showed you who the top priority will ALWAYS be - herself."
"NTA."- 6felt9
"NTA."
"Ah yes, when it works for her, it's a great idea."
"When it works against her well, now not so great."
"She is the only AH here."
"Why would you keep it as is?"
"If 50/50 is your best offer, then take it."
"Better still, 100/0 where you look after yourself and leave her to find another sap to pay for her life."- alien_overlord_1001
"NTA."
"But she's showing you who she is. It was only a good idea when it was for her benefit, and now that it wouldn't be, it no longer is."
"This is not someone I'd continue a relationship with. They're not about equality; they're about themselves."- theferal1
"'Thank you very much for subsidizing my life for the past three years.'"
"'Unfortunately, now I earn more than you, I have decided that you can f*ck off, you loser, for I am considerably richer than you'."
"Your 'lack of adaptability'? Her f*cking selfishness beats your 'lack of adaptability' hands down."
"If everything else in the relationship is rosy, this is a topic that needs further discussion."
"If there are already difficulties in the relationship, this is a major signal that things have just got worse, perhaps terminally."
"What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander."
"If she was happy for you to pay the lion's share while you were earning more, then she should be willing to do the same."
"NTA and good luck finding a new apartment."- Funkyzebra1999
"NTA."
"She has one foot out the door already and is trying to save money for the inevitable breakup."
"Get out now."- LostandParanoid
"If it was good enough for her when she had to pay less, then it still should be good now, given that the idea was hers to begin with."
"It's completely unfair to change the agreement now that she's realizing she's expected to pay more."
"NTA & I'd take this red flag she's waving as a sign to end this relationship unless she actually realizes she's being a hypocrite & sticks to the agreement that she wanted to begin with."
"You honored your deal & now it's her turn to put her money where her mouth is."- DearOP_
"This sub is often quick to suggest breaking up, but be kind to yourself and ask yourself if this woman loves you."
"NTA."- ZookeepergameOwn1726
"NTA at all."
"Yikes yikes yikes, red flags."
"Big marinara flags over here."- MassRevo
"Well she didn't have any problem punishing you for your financial successes earlier."
"NTA."- 1_shootingstar
"NTA."
"Red flags everywhere."
"She is one of those people who want everything equal till they are the one getting the benefits."
"She showed her true colors."
"Dump her. You deserve better."
"Next she will gaslight you and blame you for the entire problem."- Witty-Independent629
"NTA."
"Sounds like she wanted it to be proportional when it suited her only, and she sounds like a damn hypocrite if she wants to talk about your lack of adaptability."
"This is hugely indicative of how she values money over you."- Mobile_Prune_3207
"NTA, how ridiculous."
"Sit her down and ask her to justify it to your face."
"I would fall right out of love if she repeated that bullsh*t."
"Tell her it's hypocritical, and you don't understand why the rules are different for her than it is for you."
"Be prepared for the relationship to end."- yungsemite
"NTA."
"Time to find a partner who values your happiness and not just your money."- LauchieApparently
"Bye-bye gf."
"She's not the one."- fokcretinlego
"1000% Huge red flag."
"Your girlfriend is supposed to be your partner."
"This is some Heisenberg sh*t."- orangesaffron
"NTA."
"Sorry, my dude."
"Relationship is over."
"She def doesn't respect you anymore and just seems like she's checked out."
"It happens."
"But it's best to end things now before you waste more time on this dead relationship."
"Best wishes."
"Please provide an update with how everything plays out."- NectarineNational722
"'Congratulations on your financial success.'"
"'Enjoy paying 100% of the rent and bills'."
"NTA."- KittKatt1988
"NTA."
"Proportional means proportional, not just when it benefits her."- Kathryn_Painway
"Hang on."
"I don't think it's YOU who is showing a lack of adaptability."
"NTA."- Icy_Session3326
"NTA."
"It sounds to me like she wants a breakup because that's so patently unreasonable."-Steelguitarlane
"'I have been thinking about it, and I see what you mean about 50-50 being the maximum reasonable division of household expenses when one partner makes more than the other'."
"'Now you point it out, I can see why the idea upsets you'."
"'Honestly, I'm quite upset now too'."
"'Since it's unreasonable now, that means it has been all along'."
"'I'm sad and hurt that you only noticed it was unfair and unreasonable when it would take more of your money instead of more of mine, and I'm feeling pretty bad about being a doormat about it, but now we have a chance to fix it and move forward fairly'."
"'So, here is how much money you owe me for three years in which I was paying 15% more than 50-50'."
"'I'll be expecting x amount per month until you have repaid me; or we can adjust by you paying 100% of our living expenses for y months, which will come out the same'."
"'I've factored in for interest and inflation since my having less money all along has cost me more than just the unfair amount I've been paying.'"
"'Once you've settled up what you owe me, maybe we should discuss why you were happy with three years of major unfairness toward me and were happy to punish me for my financial successes'."
"'We can split the couple's counseling costs 50-50'."
"'She will promptly make it absolutely clear to you that she's the a**hole if you suggest her making you whole for the situation she's decided was unreasonable all along'."
"'If it's an unreasonable request now, then it's been an unreasonable request the whole time."
"You're NTA, and I'm sorry, but your relationship is absolutely over."
"She's been exploiting you badly."
"It's unlikely you'll get your money back, but you can at least protect yourself from spending anything else on her now you know the sort of person she is."- GuacGuacDuck
It is awfully suspicious that the OP's girlfriend could so suddenly become against the idea of proportionately splitting the bills just when she finds herself making more money than the OP.
Making it seem fairly clear that she was only for the idea if it worked in her favor.
She better think carefully about standing her ground, for if the OP does follow the advice of the Reddit community, she very likely might find herself paying 100% of the rent.















Woman Irate After 'Misogynistic' Date 'Insults' Her In Front Of Waiter For Interrupting Him
While dating is supposed to be fun and the best way to find new love, some people are just not meant to date each other.
Fortunately, people can get out of dating someone, and no reason is too small or petty, members of the "Am I Overreacting?" (AIO) subreddit pointed out.
Redditor Mental_Driver_6134 had been dating a guy on and off for over a year, and while things were okay, there hadn't been a particular reason to make the relationship more serious.
When they went on a date, and the guy publicly insulted her for interrupting him and speaking out of turn, the Original Poster (OP) was not certain it was worth going on another date with him or continuing to string this situationship along.
She asked the sub:
At a restaurant, the OP's date wasn't being clear while speaking with the waiter.
"I went on a dinner date with this guy who I've been with for over a year now, on and off. We discussed the order and were in a good mood overall."
"When the waiter came to take the order, he started explaining him something about his preference for a particular dish. Basically, he didn't want too much garlic in chili burnt garlic noodles."
"Everything was going fine, but I saw that he was taking too much time explaining it and wasn't really getting to the main point, which was less garlic."
"I chimed in and casually said, 'We just want less garlic.'"
"But I couldn't even complete the sentence before he said to me in front of the waiter, 'If you're gonna cut me off like this, I'm not giving any orders, okay?!' in the rudest way possible."
The moment ruined the date for the OP.
"I just went quiet after that. He quickly realized that he made a mistake and tried to cover up by saying that, 'Okay , I won't shout at you next time onwards.'"
"I was really p**sed off but didn't react much to avoid creating a scene."
"On our way back home, he started with his explanation. He said that I tried to make him feel small by cutting him off and lacked basic etiquette and that I should have at least said, 'Can I give my opinion here?- before cutting him off."
"It kept getting worse as he said that since he was the older one and 'The Man,' I should not have interrupted him and let him give the order."
"The whole tone was so misogynistic."
"He even mocked me for not knowing how to use chopsticks properly, which I didn't mind as basic banter, and I told him that there are forks and spoons kept here; it's not necessary to use the chopsticks (he ended up dropping his dumpling while explaining to me how to use chopsticks)."
"When the noodles came, he said that we could use forks then, and I was like, 'No, why not use chopsticks here, as well? You should watch more anime, maybe,' and he then went on to brag about having been to many five-star restaurants, which implied that he knew more than me and that I lacked any 'real experience.'"
The OP was over it by the end of the conversation.
"I was too exhausted from this; it seemed so nonsensical that I left later and told him to maintain a distance."
"Later he was saying that I'm stuck on such a small thing and that he won't shout again, but it was my mistake that I tried to cut him off (which wasn't my intention at all)."
"Also, sidenote: He's like four and a half years older than me. I met him last September and on and off many times with a few months of minimal contact. These offs end with him acting as if nothing happened."
"This incident was the calmest he's behaved if compared to past situations, so you can guess what the worst may have looked like."
"I only gave him a chance cause he was trying to control his anger issues. But I think you can't expect a 29-year-old to fix the misogyny."
Fellow Redditors weighed in:
Some reassured the OP that she was right to be upset.
"He was s**tty, but it was her fault; I just love that. NOR."
"If she hadn’t interrupted his highness, none of this would have happened. Why can’t she just admit it?"
"I’m so glad I’m long out of the dating pool. There is no bar anymore; it’s what can I get from you while I treat you like s**t. Man, the good old days of dating are long over." - Shadow4summer
"NOR. The 'I'm the man' line revealed everything OP needs to know about him. He couldn't handle a simple, harmless interruption, so he tried to humiliate her in public to regain control. Taking his own dumpling dive while trying to act superior is peak karma, honestly." - virelaczi
"NOR! If a 'small' man tries to put you down in public on a date, run the eff away! It doesn’t matter if it’s two dates, two months, or two YEARS!" - Delicious_Winner_819
"Not overreacting, this man is clearly insecure and controlling. Not to mention a misogynist. Instead of being on and off, just be off. It's better to be single than to be with someone who tries to make you feel less than." - curiouscuriel
"'I know better than you.'"
"Should tell you ALL you need to know about this 'man'. Go and find somebody who will treat you as their person... and not an object. That is what is not sitting right with you."
"NOR. And bloody run!!! I wouldn't even give him the time of day after an experience like that." - pootling_1976
"My ex would constantly say, 'You're interrupting me.' I was not. He was a psycho."
"This is how it went, for example:"
"Him: I am ordering chicken and snow peas and white rice [long pause]."
"I start to say ANYTHING (the place is on effing fire!), and he would berate me, 'You interrupted me, you ALWAYS do that, I can never speak, blah, blah blah.'"
"I say, 'Lucifer (what I call him behind his back), you took a long pause. I waited, and I thought you were done.'"
"Then THAT becomes a pile of s**t convo, more berating... He was so manipulative and verbally abusive; I cannot even scratch the surface here."
"So, no. That date is a Lucifer, and you should never even speak to him again." - Belmontisnowhideous
Others pointed out that the OP didn't have to keep dating him if this is how she felt about him.
"Great news! You do not need to spend any more time with this guy." - Blue-flash
"If you marry this guy, this behavior will only get worse. He doesn’t respect women, and he probably never will. I'd stop dating him now before you waste more time." - Additional-Start9455
"NOR. Don’t waste another minute of your life on an angry man. He’ll get worse, not better. Just find a guy who doesn’t need fixing." - Broad_Pomegranate141
"I mean, him being an insufferable smug jerk is not a small thing."
"'I went on a dinner date with this guy who I've been with for over a year now, on and off.' But this strikes me as an elephant in the room."
"It isn't often that good, healthy relationships are on and off again. And given how profoundly rude he was, how immediately he doubled down, how condescending, etc., I can't help but think this isn't the first time he's been gross as a partner."
"NOR, but really ask yourself what you're doing here. This can't be the life you hoped for, and you know he isn't going to change as well." - Traeyze
"NOR. There's no way to live with this kind of man, honestly, and OP should definitely leave this guy."
"A year of on and off with kind of behavior is basically a preview of the next ten." - NoEar4226
"NOR. I've broken up with guys like that by telling them they were right all along. I'm just not smart enough for him. He deserves someone on his own level..."
"Hopefully he picks up the hint and does some self-reflection for his future dates (with other women)."
"For what it's worth, I have two post-graduate degrees." - PomeloPepper
"When someone treats you like s**t, you do NOT have to stay with them, no matter how long you've been together."
"Unfortunately, my therapist had to explain this to me a short time after I started seeing her because my parents never gave me any autonomy to make my own decisions. I didn’t know that I could just leave places that I didn’t feel safe in because it wasn’t an option for me until then."
"Some people do need to be given permission to do what’s best for them because of the way they were treated by their parents."
"Hopefully she does leave him because he sucks, and with the way he treats her, things will likely get worse for her." - Accomplished_Dig284
We've all heard the advice to not cry over spilled milk, but clearly, this date must fuss over garlicky noodles.
To the subReddit, it wasn't worth continuing to date a man who clearly had anger and control issues, especially given everything going on in society right now.
The OP would be better off staying single for a while or dating someone new, preferably someone who respects their differences about noodles and chopsticks.