27-year-old freeloader steals food from her 20-year-old roommate, calls her dramatic for insisting that she stop eating her food: 'I’m barely scraping by myself, and replacing what she takes is killing my budget'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Apr 7, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

Properly sharing is a huge part of living with roommates. You have to share a bathroom, a fridge, a living room, and that's only the beginning. On some level, I think you should be sharing common household items with your roommates. In my house, I'm the one who buys the laundry detergent, one of my roommates gets butter, and we often split condiments and spices because it makes things much easier. At my last apartment, we all bought our own stuff, which is good if you're concerned about someone mooching off of your groceries, but bad if you don't want four separate egg cartons in the fridge (true story). That's all well and good if you're working on the honor system (I'll borrow one of your eggs now, and you can borrow one of mine later), but not every roommate is so considerate, communicative, or willing to ask instead of taking. 

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  • The roommate in this story does not follow the honor code. She simply takes the food that she wants, and refuses to stop even when her roommate begs her to. Her roommate is 7 years younger than her and struggling to make ends meet, and she could not care less.

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10491342848
    via Yunus Tuğ (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITAH for telling my roommate she can’t keep eating my groceries after I caught her lying?

    I'm 20, working as a receptionist and living paycheck to paycheck in a shared apartment with my roommate, who's 27. We agreed early on to keep our food separate, I label my stuff in the fridge and pantry since I meal prep to save money.
    via u/Fickle_Tennis2950
  • 03
    Lately, I've noticed my groceries disappearing: half my chicken, a tub of yogurt, even my good coffee grounds. At first, she'd say, 'Oh, I thought it was mine,' and I let it slide, asking her to replace it. She never did.
    via u/Fickle_Tennis2950
  • 04
    Last week, I caught her red handed eating my labeled leftovers straight from the container, and she claimed she 'forgot' again and was 'starving' because she's short on cash. I checked our grocery shelf, hers is stocked with snacks and ramen, so that's a lie.
    via u/Fickle_Tennis2950
  • 05
    Cheezburger Image 10491344640
    via Karl Hörnfeldt (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06
    I'm barely scraping by myself, and replacing what she takes is killing my budget. Yesterday, I told her she's cut off, no more touching my food, period, unless she pays me back first.
    via u/Fickle_Tennis2950
  • 07
    SKLEVES OFFLINE CALLY OFAMERICA 2ULLD AL 32730338 D UNITED STAT OFAMER LY 10 AU327 ONE BUN
    via Jp Valery

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 08
    She flipped out, called me stingy and dramatic, and said I'm 'punishing' her for being broke when roommates should share. I'd help if she asked, but I'm tired of her sneaking and lying... Aita?
    via u/Fickle_Tennis2950
  • 09
    UPDATE: I may have overdone it... I just showed her the post and now she wants to move out...
    via u/Fickle_Tennis2950
  • 10
    Badkitty532 HI no. If you catch her again walk over to her cabinet and start taking everything. Tell her she has free range to steal then so do you! Tell her that she's not the only one who is broke and it's not your job to provide for her!
    via u/Badkitty532
  • 11
    mileyxmorax You've done nothing wrong and should just start eating her stuff without replacing it and see how she likes it, yo've set clear boundaries and she's continuously disrespecting them, it's not your job to provide for her maybe you need a new roommate
    via u/mileyxmorax
  • 12
    hhjhbb "Roommates should share" only works when both people agree and contribute. She's just helping herself to your food without permission. That's stealing.
    via u/hhjhbb
  • 13
    foresterspan You've been clear, and she's still disrespecting you. Eat her stuff and don't replace it—let her see how it feels. seriously I wont take this from my roommate.
    via u/foresterspan
  • 14
    Oliviafea Exactly, Start eating up her saved up stuff..! If she wouldn't listen the simple way then she would the hard way
    via u/0liviafea
  • 15
    Euphoric Inside7584 She had ramen and snacks in her area—she wasn't starving. She just wanted your food because it was better.
    via u/Euphoric_Inside7584
  • 16
    Sorry Analysis_2771 If she really needed help, she could've asked like an adult. Sneaking and lying isn't asking, it's manipulating.
    via u/Sorry_Analysis_2771
  • 17
    Chevez-Danyell She's not "forgetting," she's freeloading and lying about it. You made an agreement, you're already struggling, and she's choosing to break that trust. If roommates are supposed to share, why didn't she offer her snacks and ramen when you were eating canned beans for three days straight?
    via u/Chevez-Danyell
  • 18
    This isn't about money—it's about respect. And she clearly has none for your boundaries. Hold that line. If she keeps it up, maybe start labeling your stuff "contains laxatives" and see how fast she stops.
    via u/Chevez-Danyell
  • 19
    naoimivyyy_ NTA. She's not "broke"—she's entitled. If she were genuinely struggling, she'd ask instead of stealing and then gaslighting you about it. The fact that she has snacks but still targets your prepped meals (and good coffee? That's war) proves this isn't about need—it's about convenience and disrespect.
    via u/naoimivyyy_
  • 20
    Roommates do share—when they agree to. You set clear boundaries from the start, labeled your stuff, and gave her chances to fix it. She ignored all of it because she assumed you'd roll over. Calling you "stingy" for not subsidizing her laziness is just manipulation.
    via u/naoimivyyy_
  • 21
    If she keeps this up, get a mini-fridge for your room or a lockbox for pantry items. And maybe start casually mentioning how weird it is that she's so obsessed with your food. "Wow, you must really love my cooking— Venmo me $10 and I'll meal-prep for you too." Shame works wonders.
    via u/naoimivyyy_
  • 22
    Blue-Being22 If you can't afford a mini fridge, there are lockboxes for inside the fridge. Look up "lock boxes for refrigerators," and you'll see several inexpensive ones pop up. Other commenters have said to eat her food, but I wouldn't recommend it. Because that opens up her whole "Yes, we share" entitlement. Just secure your own food. It s ks that you have to do that, but... here we are.
    via u/Blue-Being22
  • 23
    stella_est "Roommates should share" is only ever said by the roommate taking the stuff, never the one paying for it.
    via u/stella_est
  • 24
    TiffLuLu_96 Sounds like you need a new roommate. She's completely disrespecting you.
    via u/TiffLuLu_96
  • 25
    themcp NTA - figure out now what you're going to do when she ignores you and takes your food anyway.
    via u/themcp

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