"Relationships are hard" is something we hear all the time, but it doesn't make it any less true.
Whether you're casually dating, in a long-term relationship, engaged, or married, there are a set of challenges you and your partner face every once in a while.
Most of the time proper communication, even if it requires the help of a therapist, can help resolve many of the issues. But for some people more drastic solutions are needed.
One fed-up girlfriend has recently taken to Reddit to reveal that her boyfriend has a penchant for staying out all night so she decided to impose a fine on him every time he comes home late.
The woman admitted that she feels like an "a**hole" for doing this, but she's desperate.
She went on to explain that she has been living with her boyfriend for two years, and while she's "naturally a homebody," when they first started dating she did stay out late "a handful of times" while fighting a drinking problem.
When her boyfriend expressed his concerns and dislike for her problematic behavior, she "just sucked it up, stopped staying out late, and stopped drinking."
It has been over a year since she changed for the better, but it seems like the tables have turned.
"My boyfriend got a new set of friends and now he stays out mostly every weekend until 3-5 a.m.," she wrote. "I don't ask who's he's with or what he's doing before he leaves. I don't bother him while he's out. I want him to have his space because humans deserve that. But, it still bothers me that he's late only because of the double standard that he's set in our relationship."
The woman said at first she was angry at him, but then she decided that it would be best to "just calmly explain to him why I disagree with his actions." Unfortunately, talking about her qualms did not make a difference, and "after almost a year, he still does it."
"He tells me he'll be home by a certain time and doesn't make it," she continued. "When I call [SIC] him out on how he treats me for coming home late, he backpedals."
Tired of "wasting her breath," the disgruntled woman came up with the idea to charge her boyfriend $50 whenever he came home late. To ensure there is no double standard, she made sure the same penalty applied to her too.
"My reasoning is that he's either going to tire of paying the $50 and come home on time or afford me the same level of understanding for occasionally staying out until the bars close," she added.
The woman's situation has triggered a wide range of responses from her fellow Reddit users, with some agreeing that she's being an "a**hole," while others encouraged her to find a more mature solution.
"...this $50 thing is a bad idea, it sounds like it's going to breed resentment, not actually encourage him to get home on time," wrote one user. "You don't seem to be able to properly communicate your feelings to each other, or he just doesn't care how you feel."
One user said that this "is a really stupid and childish game both of you are playing," while another pointed out that the boyfriend is "doing what you used to, except he keeps himself available at all times by phone." They added, "What's the issue if you can, at any time, reach out and make sure he's ok? Absolutely a terrible idea to charge him for coming home late."
Overall, majority of the people think the $50 fine in a bad idea. Some even urged the woman to end the relationship if she's unable to have a "grown up" conversation with her partner.
"You guys aren't compatible anymore. He doesn't respect your wishes and you seem to be wanting to keep score," wrote a candid user. "Just break it off already."
The woman eventually replied, defending her position. She wrote: "Thanks for the input. I'm not playing a game of revenge. I've tried my best to talk to him about why I don't appreciate this for a year. I think that's fair enough to say that I've been trying to reach out and be communicative."
