I’m using my husband

I (24F) want a divorce from my husband (28M), but I feel financially trapped.

Before anyone asks: no, he’s not abusive, cruel, or cheating. He’s genuinely a good person. We’ve tried marriage counseling and we’ve had countless conversations about my unhappiness over the years.

The problem is that I’ve reached a point where I no longer want to be married. A major issue is that his hygiene has deteriorated significantly over the course of our relationship. It has affected our intimacy to the point that we barely touch each other anymore. I’ve brought it up, we’ve discussed it, we’ve tried to work on it, and nothing has changed enough for me to feel differently.

The hard part is that I can’t realistically leave right now.

We have a lot of shared debt, including a truck with a $55,000 loan that’s tied to both of us. Last year I was laid off and relied heavily on my husband’s income for about eight months while trying to get back on my feet. My credit score took a hit, I work a low-paying job, and I’m essentially starting over in a new city.

At this point, I’ve accepted that the marriage is over for me emotionally. I stayed and continued trying because I didn’t feel like I had another option financially, but once I’m stable enough to leave without destroying my future, I plan to file for divorce.

My current plan is to focus on paying off debt, improving my credit, finishing school, increasing my income, and then leaving when I can do so responsibly.

Has anyone else stayed in a marriage longer than they wanted to because leaving immediately would have caused financial disaster? How did you navigate it?