'[They] regret moving out': Freeloading family gets a taste of the real world after refusing to pitch in for groceries and bills

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Apr 4, 2024 7:00 AM EDT

The only reason any of us are enduring our workday for the sake of a measly paycheck is because life is expensive. Watching our bills, groceries, car payments, and rent go up every month isn't exactly an encouraging reality, but only a deluded person would think that the luxuries in life (like a full fridge and gas in your car) would come without a price tag–but then again, perhaps delusional family members who take advantage of the people around them would argue otherwise.

For the family in our next story, the bloodlines ran thin when 4 foreign relatives moved in with their American counterparts and then refused to help pitch in to cover the bills. After Uncle Ben, Aunt May, and their two kiddos, Mary and Stacy crossed country lines to move into the US, they seemed to think that expensive luxuries came for free. After freeloading for months off of their hardworking family members, they became combative when they were asked to pull their weight on in-home costs–so instead, they felt entitled to move out, set off on their own, and fend for themselves entirely. 

Scroll for the prideful moment that led to this family fallout and an expensive stint of karmic justice.

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  • 01
    Posted by u/Ramen Noodles620 Freeloading relatives don't want to chip in on living costs, move out and now regret moving out Shaking my head
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 02
    Tl;dr: Relatives were living for free with my parents. Parents asked them to start chipping in on groceries and utilities. Relatives took issue with that, decided to move very far away to a place they don't know anything about and now regret it.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 03
    Some of my relatives moved to the US a few months ago. My parents let one of the families (uncle Ben, aunt May, and two cousins Mary and Stacy) live with them. My parents live in a very nice, walkable city. Their apartment is in a great location close to public transit, but in a quiet area. Unfortunately, it's also
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 04
    very expensive (my parents' apartment would easily cost $4.5-$5K a month to rent) where they live so despite it being a tight living situation, it was really the only option currently for the relatives who just moved. They had basically no money, no credit and their jobs would for now be limited to minimum wage jobs.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 05
    We fronted the cost of their immigration fees, got them phones, found my cousins free English classes at a public library a 5 minute walk from my parents, got my cousins jobs at a Dunks that's about a 1.5 miles from the house and a 10-15 minute bus ride away. My parents found my
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 06
    uncle a job at a Dunks slightly further away, but still less than 2 miles. However, he couldn't get past the training. My parents continued to try to find him jobs, but it was taking more time than expected. Aunt May refused to work. Still, both the cousins had jobs so they had some income.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 07
    My parents found one of the cousins a job at a bakery, but she didn't like the hours. I got the other one an interview at a grocery store that would have paid more, but she missed the phone interview. That's all to say, we were trying
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 08
    to get them jobs and doing our best to find jobs for people with limited English while also trying to set them up for future success via English classes, applying for various public housing and getting them some work experience.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 09
    After 4-5 months, my parents approached my aunt and uncle about them starting to chip in for groceries and utilities since the two cousins had been working for a couple months at that point. My parents went from having 2 people and a cat to now
    via RamenNoodles620
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    having 6 people and a cat to house and feed. My dad went from getting groceries 1-2x a month to having to go every week. My parents aren't well off either. They live a frugal lifestyle and my dad was fortunate to buy the apartment they live in a long time ago or else we would have been priced out a long time ago.
    via RamenNoodles620
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    Apparently, that was too much of an ask so they said they will move out. Completely fine since nobody was forcing them to stay and it wasn't doing my parents any favors. The whole time my relatives lived with my parents, my aunt and uncle would constantly mention that they had
    via RamenNoodles620
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    other family and friends in other parts of the US that would help them out. Where these family and friends were when I spent hours helping with their immigration applications, fronting their immigration fees, buying them phones to use in the US or even getting them winter clothes, I have no idea. So my dad said, fine, if that's
    via RamenNoodles620
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    what you want to do, then move out since you don't want to pay us anything and have all these other people that can help you. Pretty much a week after the conversation about chipping in, they
    via RamenNoodles620
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    had someone from my aunt's side of the family fly from Michigan and then drive them 13+ hours from where we are to Michigan. Guess my relatives were correct in having other people that can help them.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 15
    Before they moved, I suggested my uncle or my aunt and uncle go to Michigan first and see how it is before making such a big change. He refused. We even found places in NJ where the cost of living was lower, they could have jobs and still be close enough to all our family for
    via RamenNoodles620
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    visits, but they refused because they didn't trust the family friend who lived in that area that offered to help. The reason they didn't trust this family friend is because he had the audacity to say that in order to find an apartment, he'd need them to put a deposit down for it. He wouldn't front it for them.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 17
    Once they moved to Michigan, they quickly realized the help there is more limited than what they had here and it's not quite as nice over there. My uncle kept talking about factory jobs he could do out in Michigan and he got one. However,
    via RamenNoodles620
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    it's not quite as cushy as he was imagining since they are basically out of the home from 5 in the morning to 4-5pm. My aunt even decided she now can work despite telling us no earlier. The area itself is not as nice and my cousins don't feel safe walking around. There is no
    via RamenNoodles620
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    good way for them to get around without a car which they don't have. They are being nickel and dimed for everything that their friends over there are helping them out with. Not quite the same situation they had while living with my parents.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 20
    When my aunt and uncle have called me, it's all complaints about how tough the work is, how his blood pressure is high, how my aunt can't sleep with the stress, they want to move back closer, etc. Even one time said something along the lines of
    via RamenNoodles620
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    "I'm of course not asking you to help, but...we are having a tough time". Tone basically being one of expecting me to offer to help in some way. I have just said hopefully things will get better because what else am I supposed to say? At this point, I rarely answer their calls because it will just be complaints and whining.
    via RamenNoodles620
  • 22
    MamfieG 2 days ago Well, well, well, looks like taking advantage family didn't work out how they expected!
    via MamfieG
  • 23
    . ravenlyran 2 days ago This is how it always is with family coming from another country. They think they know better than the person who has actually been living here....
    via ravenlyran
  • 24
    Wymas123 2 days ago . edited 2 days ago That family were unbelievably very entitled and ungrateful for their host family's help. Now they are dealing what they sowed. Ito be them and good on Oop for not falling for their hints and guilt tripping.
    via Wymas123
  • 25
    Dewhickey76. 2 days ago Apparently the grass ISN'T greener on the other side of the country. Seriously tho, nobody is going to give these people what they actually want, bc it's literally impossible. They want the American Dream
    via Dewhickey76
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    without actually having to work for it. Somehow they convinced themselves that life in the States is easy street, when that's not the typical immigrant experience there. Yes, you can MAKE a wonderful life IF you're willing to PUT IN THE EFFORT.
    via Dewhickey76
  • 27
    TheFluffiestRedditor 2 days ago The grass is greener where you water it. They were actively harming the grassy knoll they were on.
    via TheFluffiestRedditor
  • 28
    nokenito 2 days ago Do not support them, do not allow they'll to move back in with you or your parents. They need to live with their adult decisions. If you or your parents let them move in they will still never chip in or help out.
    via nokenito
  • 29
    ktshell 2 days ago Yes! Do not feel bad, and do not let them weasel their way back in. You're lucky they left so easily. You and your parents already helped them out more than they deserve.
    via ktshell

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deserved humor family drama freeloading kids brother siblings relatable grandma foreign frugal parenting Family Tree aunt dad Grandpa family moving sister Reddit roommates payback mom cheap cousins karma parents cousin moving out
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