Wealthy, 32-Year-Old Man Expects His Unemployed Graduate Student Girlfriend to Split His Living Expenses 50/50

A 32-year-old man with a high-paying job thought moving in together would be the next big step, but his money expectations quickly turned the relationship into a mess.

His 22-year-old girlfriend is finishing graduate school and does not have a steady income, yet he wants her to split living expenses 50/50 after she moves across the country to be with him. That leaves her family worried, especially since the monthly total would be far more than she can comfortably handle.

She turned to Reddit for a reality check, and the responses were blunt. Was this a fair arrangement, or a red flag she should not ignore?

Money is a topic that couples continuously dispute, regardless of how happy they are with their significant others.

Mikhail Nilov (not the actual photo)

OP shared her problem: her considerably older boyfriend wants her to move in with him

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She is just graduating from college, and he has an extremely well-paid job

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And is about to get an even higher-paying job

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He wants OP to move with him to another city

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But he expects OP to pay half of all expenses, which amounts to around $2,500 per month

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This is a significant amount of money for OP

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Her family believes this is unreasonable

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But her boyfriend expects OP's family to cover half of the expenses

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So OP asks for advice

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Redditors responded:

It also echoes the question of whether OP should ask her partner to split rent equally despite income disparity, even when one person earns more.

Redditors responded:

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They all agree - don't do it

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And the entire relationship raises some red flags

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Kim Stephenson, a financial psychologist, says there’s a common misconception that money and wealth are directly linked to happiness.

That kind of mismatch can make a relationship feel a lot less romantic very quickly.

The age gap is substantial

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He might replace OP in a couple of years

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Red flags indeed

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Success needs to be shared

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One Redditor spared no words:

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So many concerning things here...

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OP posted an update

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She had already made a decision; she just needed an objective opinion

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And some more concerning things have emerged...

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OP made her decision, and she will stick to it

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Her boyfriend was a poor student when they started dating

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We live in a time when most of us want more of everything, overlook the vital things in life, and fail to understand that money is an important part of life, but not the only one. Instead, we should use it to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.

That is easier said than done when one partner is counting every dollar and the other is not.

Before you say “50-50,” see the Reddit AITA about splitting bills with a wealthier friend.