Would it be wrong if I (21F) stoped giving my broke uncle (40M) money even if he pays me back?
I like helping people, I really do. But, unless it's for charity, I don't Iike directly giving family members money. Im happy to pay for a meal, buy some household necessities, or volunteering but feel... uncomfortable (?) giving money directly to someone.
The living situation is I live with my grandma. Up until yesterday I was living off of FASFA and grants. I got a job yesterday. I pay 600$ for rent and recently started to buy house hold and personal care items such as detergent, cleaning supplies, deodorant, shampoo, etc. I coupon at CVS so I get these at a great deal and spend around 40$/month on this. I share these with the household.
On top of this I have to pay my own groceries (lunch and sometimes breakfast. My grandma and I like the same things for breakfast so sometimes she'll buy my breakfast items ), car ( out of pocket), car insurance, medical debt ( lets just say Im prone to going to the emergency room ) credit card, and basically everything else a adult is expected to pay.
Now I dont know all about his finances so take this with a grain of salt. He also lives here with my grandma ( his mom ) in the backyard. They (him and his girlfriend) have a tiny house situation in the backyard. If they still have a payment on the tiny house they have to pay that and I believe the electric bill. ( which to my knowledge is expensive for an electric bill. )
He doesnt pay for his cleaning supplies ( the stuff I pay for ), eats a lot of our food ( only buys snacks and cigarettes ), and had his car given to him buy his sister ( my aunt ). Oh, and he doesnt have a job. His girlfriend pays for all it. All he does is takes her to work then back home. I guess he was cleaning the pool but complained so much that my grandma just got a cleaning service to do it.
I heard my aunt ( his girlfriend ) talking about getting a second job with my grandma. Which frustrated me so much that she talking about a second job while having an unemployed abled bodied boyfriend. Then got even more heated because my grandma responded that she was going to make him my grandfathers care taker....
He hasn't taken care of my grandfather once in, Im being generous, the last year. If my grandma isn't taking care of its me. If he needs something, wants to go to the store, getting his medication, reminding him to get up, helping fixing his food, it's me.
Recently hes been starting to ask me for money recently. Small payments $10-$20 and always pays me back $5-$10 more. The first time I thought it was an actual emergency. The second time fine. But now it's been 6 or 7 times in the last few months I just feel like another excuse for his bad finances. He technically isn't doing anything wrong to me. But just dont want to feel like a ATM.
If I do this then it feels like:
"Yeah, you pay me back with interest but Im still gonna punish you."
Is it selfish of me to feel weird about this? Iike if you just need an extra $10 just go uber, or Walmart delivery, or better yet a job perhaps. My aunt tried to get him to work for her but he was so bad and didn't want to work.
Posted Aug 14, 2026, 12:46 AM UTC