Husband cancelled streaming services and told his stay-at-home wife she needs to get job

A father-of-two came under fire online after he admitted he cut off his wife’s TV streaming subscription service because he wanted her to get a job.

The man, 32, from the US, who wasn’t named, said his wife of five years, 33, became a stay-at-home mother without consulting him on whether that’s something he was OK with – and added that money was tighter than he’d like it to be. 

Taking to Reddit, he revealed that he had canceled some of their streaming subscriptions to save vital funds without telling his wife. However, he kept the channels that both he and his children liked. 

Many took to the comments section and urged the couple to make financial decisions together and to stop acting unilaterally. 

An unnamed American father-of-two revealed he canceled streaming subscriptions and told his stay-at-home wife she needed to get a job if she wanted them back (stock picture)

In the initial post, the man explained that both he and his wife had jobs when they got married, but that she quit her position soon after because she didn’t like her role.

‘I expected her to go out and start looking for something else but she didn’t seem too eager,’ he penned. 

He went on to say that whenever he asked his wife when she would start looking for another job, she would tell him to stop pressuring her. 

The couple ended up having two children back-to-back, with their son now aged three, and their daughter one year-and-a-half.  

The man explained his wife quit her job after their marriage and never got another one, then began taking care of the children they've had in the meantime

The man explained his wife quit her job after their marriage and never got another one, then began taking care of the children they’ve had in the meantime 

‘A few months after she was born when I asked my wife what her plans were job-wise she finally just said “I don’t want to go back to work. You make enough for us to get by. Just let me be a wife and mother”,’ the dad penned. 

He went on to explain how he told his wife he didn’t think his sole income would be enough to support their family, but agreed to try. 

In return, he explained: ‘I basically don’t have to do anything around the house. And she is a great mother to our kids. I am quite lucky in many ways.’

But the husband added the couple didn’t have a lot of savings.

‘I don’t feel as if I signed up for this. We were both working when we got married and I never thought we’d have to live on just my income,’ he wrote. ‘I’ve tried to talk to her about going back to work – even part time – to help our financial situation several times but she just won’t hear it.’ 

He said he cut off some of the family subscription which she was not best pleased with, and the pair ended up in a fight. 

Some people said the couple needed to stop making unilateral decisions and start working together on their financial issues

Some people said the couple needed to stop making unilateral decisions and start working together on their financial issues 

People had mixed opinions about the story, with many feeling the couple were both making financial decisions unilaterally instead of together. 

‘Unilaterally canceling streaming services in the middle of shows she was watching without talking to her is rude,’ wrote one. ‘And honestly, in her refusal to consider going back to work at the expense of her family’s well being is not acting like a partner.’

Another commented: ‘Canceling some streaming services if you’re struggling to budget is a perfectly sensible thing to do, but the way they went about it comes across as a petty “punishment”.

‘If they keep this kind of attitude up, he’ll resent her for being “lazy” and she’ll resent him for being “controlling” and the whole thing will fall apart.’ 

Some pointed out childcare was expensive. Some also said the husband was in the wrong for canceling subscription only his wife was interested in

Some pointed out childcare was expensive. Some also said the husband was in the wrong for canceling subscription only his wife was interested in 

‘Who bullied who? She unilaterally made a decision to not work anymore,’ another wrote.    

Elsewhere, one person pointed out how hard both housework and looking after young children is.  

‘It seems like many of the respondents here have never stayed home with small children. As a mother of twins I will tell you a job is VASTLY easier than keeping a nice home and raising young kids,’ they commented.

Meanwhile, others took the husband’s defense. 

‘OP’s wife put them in a tough financial situation, OP is trying to keep the family afloat. That isn’t malicious. What’s malicious is quitting a job, KNOWING you have no intention to go back to work,’ wrote one.

A second commented: ‘OPs wife unilaterally made a financial decision by deciding not to go back to work, but you are refusing to acknowledge that part.’