Entitled woman guilt-trips coworkers into giving her free food and perks, claiming she is a struggling single mom, coworker left furious when discovering she's actually living a luxurious lifestyle: 'Everyone else is buying her 'poor me' act'

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Oct 1, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

They say people should keep their work life and personal life separate, and for good reason. Because the person someone may seem to resemble in the office could ultimately be a completely different person when the office doors swing closed. You know what they say, keep your friends close, your enemies closer…and your coworkers as far as possible. Okay, they don't actually say that, but in this case, they really should.

This employee has fooled all her coworkers, her freeloading habits were blatantly obvious, but perhaps it was believed for good reason: a struggling mother unable to make ends meet. So they'd give her their lunch leftovers after she would repeatedly 'forget' hers at home, or let her log into their streaming services, so that she could wind down after a long day…But one coworker was on to her quietly increasing manipulative attitude, and started to get a bit suspicious…until discovering that her out-of-office lifestyle was quite the opposite of 'barely getting by' and was filled with luxuries and vacations…things she could probably afford from all those free lunches! Now, her coworkers must feel slightly played, because the 'poor me' act is wearing down quickly.

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  • When someone is a sponge, you must be careful not to let them completely dehydrate you! Giving is one thing, but being taken from is something completely different. If you’re going to form a relationship at work, make sure you really get to know the type of people you are spending 40-hour weeks with, because if you’re not careful, they could pull the rug out from right under your feet, and before you know it, you're knee-deep in ‘what have I done’s'


     

  • Co-worker is a sponger

    Coworkers comforting employee
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Co-worker is a sponger

    My co-worker regularly talks about being a single mom and the hardships she faces as a result.
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  • I don't doubt it's been tough but she annoys me with it because more than once she's implied I've got an easy life because i live with my kid's dad and he shares the responsibilities with me.
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  • At least once a week she says she "forgot to bring lunch" or says she didn't plan well so didn't bring enough food and talks about how hungry she is throughout the day until people offer her food from their lunches or stashes.
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  • At first I thought she was just saying this to me so l would discretely give her bits from my own lunch box because I usually pack extra anyway just in case.
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  • Then I witnessed her do it with other people. There's about three other people I know of who regularly give her food from their lunch.
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  • She never pays it back or offers out anything from her own stuff, just takes from everyone but I thought maybe she's genuinely poor and can't afford food so I continued to give her things.
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  • Lunch break at work
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • As I got to know her over the months though I realised she's not as poor as she makes out.
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  • In the last 6 months she's been on a holiday abroad, bought an expensive kitchen appliance she didn't need (she already had one, she just wanted the newer one with more functions), bought a whole new wardrobe (not second hand) and is buying a new to her car (to make her a two-car house when she's the only driver).
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  • She also made a big deal about how much she spends on Christmas presents for her family.
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  • She has money, she just spend it on luxuries instead of necessities. Today I found out (from her) that another co-worker has added her to their family subscription for a streaming service.
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  • Everyone else is buying her "poor me" act. This woman isn't rich but she's certainly not too-poor-to- buy-food poor.
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  • So i've stopped giving her my stuff. She's started being very blatant about it these days.
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  • When I brought some extra drinks to see me through the week and put them in the shared fridge, she went to the fridge then she spent the next half hour talking about how thirsty she is... we get bottled water for free and have a fully stocked tea/coffee bar.
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  • We'll be sat at the lunch table, I've finished everything but a chocolate biscuit and she'll say things like, "I wish I'd brought some chocolate today to top off my lunch, I could really do with the energy".
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  • I've stopped responding. Now I just pack my lunch box away, chocolate biscuit and all as if I haven't heard her.
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  • Woman rolling her eyes behind another woman's back whilst hugging
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    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Any_Art_1364 Start bringing her purchases into the conversation every time she tries to mooch, like "you got the new car, that must be great for getting the groceries", compliment her outfit adding "is that one of the new skirts/tops/ dresses/whatever". Refer to
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  • something she has bought every single time, and don't give her anything. Start bringing other people into the conversation, like "doesn't she look lovely", or how the new appliance must be great to have. Hopefully she will back off. You could also say you have had an unexpected bill and are being very mindful to only buy what YOU and your own FAMILY need, then don't take the bait when she's having a "poor me" moment
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  • Ingrown ToenailsHurt I learned to stop taking my lunch breaks with co-workers years ago. I go sit in my vehicle or drive to a nearby park to take my lunch break. I need some peace and quiet away from my bozo co-workers.
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  • chubby-w nch Sorry, but I would be blunt "I wish people who could afford to take care of themselves would just grow the f and stop begging". I believe scorched earth is the only way to handle these people because they just won't stop otherwise.
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  • ForkAKnife Ask her straight, in front of everyone, "How do you have no lunch when you have a new Kitchenaid mixer, two cars, and took a long holiday in Greece? You should be feeding us."
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  • rubygalhappy Yes you have a certified sponger, now you know. Act accordingly. If she complains about Christmas presents then just hand her a Dave Ramsey book and ignore her. Don't get caught up in her game. That's the game she plays to guilt everyone into to helping her. She is not your responsibility
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  • catchmesleeping This is why she has nice things.
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streaming luxuries failblog lunch break workplace-stories office stories FAIL coworkers fake horrible coworkers entitled-coworkers Travel workplace poor thing food pretending take advantage
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