Im sorry you are going through this

Absolutely open your own bank account for a start. Are your children in childcare? Do you get the childcare tax rebat annually. I would try and get this deposited into your account next time it is due

I would also be putting money away weekly from your house keeping money or ask DH to put money into an account for you weekly to buy groceries and pay your mobile phone, then try and live tightly and withdraw some extra funds and deposit them into your other account when you can.

My situation is different as I work however My DH and I have always had seperatre bank accounts. My salary sacrafice goes into the mortgage and we both put money weekly into the bills account. DH pays a large amount of the mortgage and my papy goes towards food/clothes/petrol gifts etc. I love my DH and we have never had any financial issues however I could not imagine not having that financial independence, I would feel very oppressed trying to account for every dollar. We have a shared credit card and a joint mortgage which means we would both be aware if the other was spending money we didnt have or redrawing on the home loan, although twe did this originally as the joint CC saved us heaps on fees.

Could you arrange to take back over bills etc and for money to be put into an account you could manage so you have some financial control or jsut having him put money in an account in your name for groceries? Could you start Avon or a junk mail round to try and give you a small independent income?