AITA for moving out after my BF suddenly demanded rent? UPDATED!
In a post a few weeks ago, a woman asked if she was wrong for hastily moving out when her boyfriend reneged on their living agreement and called her a 'gold digger' after a talk with his friends.
Now, she's back to tell us exactly how the situation played out, with a conclusive update. Here's what she first wrote on Reddit:
My boyfriend(26M) and I(24F) have been together for 3 years. We live in NYC and he makes over $200k/year, while I’m studying for my masters in social work and have no income.
Right now I’m doing an unpaid, yearlong internship 3 days/week, as well as classes 2 days/week. It’s rare to get a paid internship in social work, plus internships are mandatory. I have no time for a paid job.
My mom helps me financially by paying for my metrocard and healthcare expenses, but everything else I rely on loans.
Before I moved in with my boyfriend there was a roach infestation in my apartment so I'd stay over at his place a lot. My lease was ending soon so he asked me if I wanted to live with him.
At first I joked with him that his living standards would go down since I can’t afford a nice place, but he insisted on paying the rent until I finish grad school, then we would split the rent based on income.
I originally wanted to live in a cheaper place in Queens or Brooklyn, but my boyfriend likes his current place and insisted I move in since he would be the one paying the rent. So, I moved into his $5k/month luxury condo in the city this August.
All of a sudden my boyfriend recently started asking me to pay half the rent ($2.5k/month). I was confused because he was the one who wanted to pay the rent in full.
Apparently he was talking to his friends and they all think its weird that I don’t pay rent and that I was a gold digger. I let my boyfriend know that I can’t afford $2.5k/month and he said I was “leeching” off of him, so I told him that he should find someone within his social class so he doesn’t have to worry about a gold digger like me leeching off of him.
I stayed at my friends place for a few days while figuring out what to do.
I called my mom about my situation and she is willing to help me out but the maximum she can afford for rent is $800. I found some places in Queens within the price range and I already signed the lease.
I told my boyfriend about my new place and he got upset and asked me to stay. He said that he was willing to accept $800/month instead of $2.5k/month if that's all I can afford, but I told him I don’t want him changing his mind again and demanding more money from me in the future.
He lived in this condo alone for several years so it’s not like he can’t afford to live there without my help. I wouldn’t mind splitting rent with him, but I would have to live in a more affordable place outside of Manhattan like I originally wanted.
Apparently some of our “mutual friends” think I’m being unreasonable for moving out instead of talking to him and staying by paying the amount I can afford in rent, and that I shouldn’t have let him pay my portion of the rent.
Update:
update: yes i did dump him. i blocked him and his idiot friends on everything. My friends also blocked him since he tried to contact me through them. i'm going to enjoy being single and never relying on a man financially ever again.
From the comments:
Left-Car6520 writes:
Around he f*cked, and out he found.
NTA
moons_and_stars writes:
The fact that his friends see you as a gold digger and don’t appear to know the full story (the fact that you offered to pay and to find a cheaper place and he insisted otherwise) is also a red flag to me and makes me question how he talks about you to his friends.
fallingfaster345 writes:
You made the right call!!! He tried the old bait and switch. GTFO of there! This is the first flower in a red flag bouquet. Enjoy your new apartment and the peace of mind that comes with it. NTA
quarkfan4552 writes:
NTA and why is he discussing finances with friends?
Let this be a lesson for all. In love and war, the commenters always get what they want.