Is my dad taking advantage of me financially?

**F23 - I feel like my dad (M57) is taking advantage of me financially.**
I’m a 23-year-old woman and I still live with my parents. I pay them €500 every month to live at home, which I’m completely okay with.
The issue is that my dad (55) also regularly asks to borrow money. I almost always say yes because he’s my dad, but he rarely pays me back unless I repeatedly remind him. Even then, it can take months before I get my money back.
He also frequently uses my scooter for work. I don’t mind helping him, but he drives it pretty recklessly. When I ask him to be more careful because it’s my scooter, his response is usually, “Then don’t lend it to me.” It feels dismissive, especially since I’m always willing to help.
Another thing that bothers me is that when we do things together, I often end up paying for the bigger expenses. At the same time, my dad goes on multiple expensive trips every year and buys gifts for my mom while still owing me money. That really stings because it makes me feel like paying me back isn’t a priority.
What makes this confusing is that I also feel guilty. He’s my dad, and he paid for me while I was growing up, so part of me feels like I owe him. But another part of me feels like there’s a difference between helping your parents and constantly being expected to lend money, pay for things, and let your belongings be used without much respect or appreciation.
If one of my friends told me this was happening with their parent, I’d probably think the parent was taking advantage of them. But because it’s my own dad, I keep questioning myself.
Does this sound unhealthy, or is this just a normal part of being an adult child? And how would you handle this situation without damaging the relationship?

Posted Jul 29, 2026, 6:58 AM UTC

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