Hi All,

I have been in a relationship with a man for 4 years.  We have had some good times and some bad as most relationships do.  I have been struggling with the decision to end this relationship for a while.  The issues I have run into, are that he has grown children, that do not want to meet me at all.  They barely want to be around him, much less want me in the picture.  They are getting better about inviting him to family events and such, but I am never included.  I also can say my family is not fond of him either.  He's not abusive, but he comes across as quite annoying, trying to be funnier than he really is.  He also is very cheap.  I totally understand saving money etc...  He is a serial purchase/return person, he will buy something and then return it a few days later.  It just seems odd to me, but that is what he does.  Over the past year I have found it harder and harder to want to be around him.  Luckily he lives a bit further from me and we don't see each other as much as we used to.  We do talk on the phone every day, a few times a day.  The problem is, he talks and I don't get a word in edgewise.  I have tried to break up with him numerous times, but he keeps telling me I need to give him a chance to change.  My birthday is coming up next week and I feel like I should cut ties before then.  I don't want him to buy me a dinner or a gift and then feel obligated to stay in this longer.  He constantly is saying how much he does for everyone else, including me.  All I say back is thank you...  I don't ask him to do anything for me anymore, because I know it means that he will hold it over my head in the future.  His family used to get mad at him for forcing them to order off the dollar menu at McDonalds so they could save money.  I told him early into the relationship that I woudl NOT do that and if I wanted something off of a regular menu, and he didn't want to pay for it, I would pay for my own meal...  I find him frustrating.  So as I said my birthday is coming up and if he did take me to dinner, it would likely be to a place that he wants to go, rather than ask me what I want.  He has a strong love for pizza.  Which is not even a treat anymore since we eat that so often.  God forbid I want to go to a steak house that costs a bit of money!  He would find a reason we cannot go, unless he could find a coupon that has a 2 for 1 deal.  

Am I wrong to want to cut this relationship off now?  I have given this way more time than I probably should have.