A friend of mine has a husband and 2 kids. They're on a tight budget already due to hubby not earning much - don't even get me started on that, it's through his choice not lack of capability. She tries so hard to keep them going well financially, but he spends all their money, to the point where she just doesn't eat sometimes. She makes sure there's always enough for the kids, but sometimes that means there's not enough for her.

Things she's tried -

*Sitting him down and showing him the incomings/outgoings to try and get him to understand - didn't work

*Taking away his access to the bank account so he can't spend it - he's memorized their credit card number (which is always maxed, coz as soon as she gets it down a bit he spends it again) and buys online. He also has access to a lot of cash in his job and uses it to buy stuff at the deli. The boss doesn't care as long as everythings back in the box by the end of the fortnight. Last fortnight she had to pay $200 to this box

*Giving him pocket money and saying once it's gone it's gone - also didn't work, refer above.

*Threatening divorce - didn't work, he doesn't believe it and she doesn't have the money to leave. She can't get money from Centrelink as he earns just over their threshhold, and she can't be separated but living with him because he won't sign the papers.

Somebody have any other ideas? Despite everything I've said above, if you were to take that out, he's actually not too bad. He doesn't do it deliberately, as a manipulative thing, it's more of a self esteem issue he has. If this one thing in their marriage could be resolved, I don't think she'd want to divorce him, but financial worries are the biggest relationshhip killer.

Please help!