Asking Eric: Should I go out to eat alone to avoid my selectively cheap husband?

Dear Eric: My husband, 67, of 15 years has many sterling qualities. The issue? He is cheap!

He’ll graciously allow me to treat him to expensive meals and say, “thank you,” while overtipping the cute young server, but when he’s anxiously asking if I am “sure” about paying, he somehow never thinks to offer to pay for his own meal!

He hasn’t worked a real job since 2020. I am still freelancing and both of us get Social Security, but mine is about half of his amount.

He apologizes for being cheap, but it doesn’t mean he’s willing to pony up, and he often exaggerates the cost of things such as the house insurance and bemoans having to pay for items post-pandemic. Meanwhile, he has significant bank accounts from deceased relatives and “forgets” about the interest payments that mean that I don