Struggling restaurant owners borrow $8000 from nephew to keep the business, then take vacation to Ibiza without paying him back, he demands the money: ‘You should be ashamed’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Feb 2, 2026 4:00 PM EST

Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday you did not pay a dime for.

Loving and caring for your family does not mean you should give in to every single demand they make. More often than not, in the long run, saying 'no' to these demands would prove just how much you care about them, since you don't want to ruin the relationship over petty disputes.

It's not difficult to come to this conclusion: If you know that what a family member is asking of you can lead to drama in the future, saying no to them is basically saying, "I don't want to ruin us in the future by agreeing to this now, I would rather keep things the way they are because I love you."

This is a sentence the nephew in the story below should have told his aunt and uncle. Two years ago, this family member received a high income, which led his aunt and uncle to ask for $8000 for their failing restaurant. The nephew was kind and naive and couldn't foresee that loaning this large sum would lead to a future fallout with his family, so he agreed to give them the money.

Two years have passed, the restaurant is still standing, but the nephew did not get any of the loan back.

A week ago, the nephew saw on Facebook that his aunt and uncle went on a holiday in Ibiza. This felt really off to him, knowing that they claimed they had no money to pay him back. But suddenly, they have enough money for an expensive vacation abroad? So, the nephew wrote to his aunt and uncle, asking them about the vacation, which quickly led to a whole dispute in which he accused them of wasting money that is not really theirs.

By the looks of it, the aunt and uncle have no intention of giving back the money, and this family relationship is heading for destruction. If only the nephew knew how bad an idea it is to loan money to a family member, he might have been able to avoid this whole situation…

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  • Small business owners couple
    via Ridofranz

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

  • AITA for telling my family owing me money they should not go on vacation?

    Two years ago I got a big income. My aunt and uncle have a restaurant and it's going pretty bad.
    via Vendtongs
  • They asked me if I could give them 8000 euros and will pay me back when they manage to sell the restaurant.
    via Vendtongs
  • Two years later the restaurant is still there. Everytime I hear from them it's about how they are in a terrible situation.
    via Vendtongs
  • A week ago I scrolled on Facebook and saw them on holiday in Ibiza. For people owing me 8000 euros and apparently in big trouble I found it quite curious they could go to Ibiza.
    via Vendtongs
  • So I message them asking how it's going. They tell me it's great, so nice to be holiday after struggling for years.
    via Vendtongs
  • That's great and all but I'm like... you owe me money. And I tell them things don't seem that bad if they can go to Ibiza.
    via Vendtongs
  • They tell me they saved money for a year to get a vacation, the first in years.
    via Vendtongs
  • Look I get it but I also think about their restaurant and I'm like... you owe me money.
    via Vendtongs
  • You also owe a shit ton of money to the state and at some point they will just buy your restaurant for nothing leaving you with no money at all and nothing to pay me back.
    via Vendtongs
  • This is just stupid to use all your savings on a vacation when you should put it in your restaurant.
    via Vendtongs
  • I say that (not the exact words I was more polite in my message) and they don't take it well at all.
    via Vendtongs
  • Couple on Vacation in Luxury Resort
    via Kaspars Grinvalds

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

  • They tell me I have absolutely no business telling them what to do with their own monev.
    via Vendtongs
  • I gave money to the restaurant and this is not from the restaurant, this is their personal account.
    via Vendtongs
  • For me it doesn't make any difference at all, the two are linked. You should be using your personal savings into your struggling restaurant.
    via Vendtongs
  • They tell me I'm an asshole to make it weird when it's family, that they babysit me when I was two and now I dare tell them what to do with their money.
    via Vendtongs
  • I tell them they should be ashamed of needing money from the kid they babysit. It's a big fight and then I say I expect my money back in the coming year.
    via Vendtongs
  • If they can go to Ibiza clearly they are not starving and could deal with selling the restaurant now despite the debts.
    via Vendtongs
  • They say I'm a complete disappointment, a cheap b ard and a complete a ole. Am I? Edit: there's a lot of people talking about legal stuff.
    via Vendtongs
  • There was no legal papers. I was 21 and just thought why not, I can help and don't need the money right now.
    via Vendtongs
  • Deeply regret it but it is what it is. I don't think I can do anything legally, even if we both agreed it was a loan back then I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter legally.
    via Vendtongs
  • CoverCharacter8179 So nothing is on paper; by any chance did you happen to discuss whether this was to be considered as a personal loan or an investment in the restaurant?
    via CoverCharacter8179
  • Vendtongs Original Poster's Reply A personal loan. Never talked about investing in their restaurant at all as it was expected to be sold anyway in the coming year. Just some money to help them out and paid back once the restaurant is sold
    via Vendtongs
  • miguel_sf NTA Maybe you can invite some friends to the restaurant...
    via miguel_sf
  • Vendtongs Original Poster's Reply lol you would think so. I went to their restaurant with my gf a year ago. Look I don't expect an entire free meal but gifting me just the coffee (just mine, not my gf) was quite hilarious. Oh well.
    via Vendtongs
  • DaRkNeSsIsInHer5 ETAH. When you gave them the money did you sit down with them and make any kind of written document saying you were lending the money and the terms under which they would pay it back? Because otherwise its a gift and you might as well give up on getting it back
    via DaRkNeSsIsInHer5
  • Vendtongs Original Poster's Reply No there's no legal document. Deeply regret it now but I was twenty one and dumb I guess. Never was a gift, always was a loan we both said it but I guess without any legal papers it doesn't really matter.
    via Vendtongs
  • BowlDue39 I mean TBH I think it's a very important rule of thumb to not give money you can't afford to give back. And when giving to family... just go ahead and assume it's not coming back. Or don't loan it. But letting your relationship sour with your relatives over it? Is it worth it? ESH
    via BowlDue39
  • Vendtongs Original Poster's Reply Im not specially close to them honestly. I see them once every year during Christmas and that's pretty much it. It wouldn't really affect my life if I didn't see them again.
    via Vendtongs
  • bobledrew NTA, but your money is gone, and it ain't coming back. You should be the one calling them a disappointment.
    via bobledrew
  • Fishboyman79 Don't loan money to family that you can't afford to write off. NTA and I doubt you will see your money again.
    via Fishboyman79
  • Due-Ambassador-4425 It's been 2 years and you haven't been paid back one dime. They are the A$$ES and not you. Repayment of debts, especially to relatives, always TRUMPS a vacation. One of the definitions of an A$$ is someone who always starts an argument to divert your attention away from their self serving behavior and shifts the blame onto you for even mentioning the loan. Make sure you don't buckle to that old maneuver!
    via Due-Ambassador-4425
  • Axiom713 NTA - if they can go on vacation they can pay you back. They are the ones making it awkward.
    via Axiom713

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family drama business owner ibiza restaurant loan aunt uncle family business money vacation
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