Mom uses daughter's Klarna account to pay for vacations she can't afford, ruining her credit score: 'You need to put your foot down'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jul 23, 2026 10:00 AM EDT

This mother was set on ruining her daughter's financial future. All over a vacation she couldn't afford. 

Family and money are often inextricably linked. You are born into a certain financial situation, and whether or not/how you get out of it can make a big difference in your life. Even if you make your own money, though, there are still ways that your family can hold you back from being everything that you were supposed to be. The woman in this story found herself in that situation, where her family was taking advantage of her financially, and she was beginning to understand that. Sometimes it takes things to come fully crashing down before you can realize what happened. Her mom was the kind of person who wanted to live beyond her means, and she wanted her daughter to support that journey. The problem was, though, that the daughter tried to set a boundary, and she wasn't going to listen to it. 

What do you do when someone keeps crossing your boundaries even when you try to set them? There is only so much leeway you can give someone before you have to cut them off wholesale. But if they're a beloved member of your family, you might want to think twice before removing them from your life completely. That can feel like a drastic decision to make, even if all roads point to that eventuality. The woman in this story wanted a little perspective on this before she made a decision. 

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  • A mom and a daughter have an argument on the sofa
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    Subjects are models representing story
    A mom and a daughter have an argument on the sofa

  • Mum wants to use my Klarna for a vacation she can't afford.

    I turned 20 yesterday and had a nice weekend away from home, and just gotten back to this mess. My Dad's birthday is coming in September, and my mum wants to take him to Cana. The thing is, she can't afford to pay the full amount straight away.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • My mum used to have her own Klarna account, but after missing 99% of her payments and late fees building up, they eventually banned her account for her unreliability to keep up with payments. So she asked me if she could use mine (this was in 2024) and I said she can use it for stuff that she needs but not to go crazy on it because I was conscious of my credit score.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • She hasn't listened, and until Christmas she had too many payments building up. I told her to stop buying so much stuff or I'd put payment authentication on my account. She didn't listen again so I changed the settings to send a code to both my number and email to verify that I'm making the purchase. Since I enforced this she's stopped buying as much and resorted to using her clearpay.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • I've been planning to delete my Klarna account for months now. Since the start of the year. And I thought I was going to until we had an argument while on vacation a few months ago (over money) and she made my Dad ask me for the verification codes so she can use pay in 30 days for our overweight luggage. When I realized what she was doing I said I didn't get any codes and
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • she came in and screamed at me to send her the codes. Then once we made up and flew back home she said she can't afford to pay the full amount in 30 days. I said if you need to split it into 3 then that is fine, but don't use pay in 6 or pay in 12, and she completely went against what I said and used pay in 12. I was so mad at her for this and she promised she would pay off the rest by the end of June (she hasn't).
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • Now, she is planning my Dad's birthday vacation in | Cana. She already asked me if she can use my Klarna and I asked her if there's another way she can pay for this trip. She said there wasn't another option so I told her if you want to use my Klarna then use pay in 3 or pay in 6. She kept insisting she needs to use pay in 12 because she can't afford the first two options. I reminded her again that I want to delete the account. She said I can't delete
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • the account because I'm still buying stuff with it. I said that's exactly why I want to delete it. Anyway I reminded her once again if she wants to use my Klarna then she can't use the pay in 12, and her response was if she can't use pay in 12 then she can't take my dad on vacation. Guilt tripping much?
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • I'm also trying to save up to move out and to get a car. She knows this but she's says "I'm sure you still wouldn't be able to afford it". Every time I mention my awareness of my credit score she just laughs it off. I would've deleted this account if she hadn't used the pay in 12 behind my back. I've already asked her to pay the rest of that off soon and she said she can't afford it. I'm so tired of this. I can't seem to get her to listen to me.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • A mother and a daughter fight with each other on the couch
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    The people in this photo are models

    A mother and a daughter fight with each other on the couch

  • Commenters weighed in with their advice

    StuffonBookshelfs You need to put your foot down. Otherwise you'll be in deep debt for the rest of your life so your mom can have luxuries she clearly cannot afford.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • FriendToPredators She's never going to listen to you and she's never going to change. I'm sorry you have an awful mother. It's tough. Focus on what you can control and stick to that.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • Smooth_Contact_2957 Girly pop... Please delete Klarna and freeze your credit. Your mom is bad news bears.
    via audreyhepburnloverr

  • It's never right to mess with someone else's finances. They probably worked hard to get to where they are, and they want to maintain their success. This woman's mother didn't understand that, and put her daughter in financial jeopardy for her own personal gain. The daughter was understandably frustrated, and shared her story with the internet. The folks in the comments had a lot to say, and a lot of advice to give to this young woman. Keep scrolling to read what they shared.

  • javsland Please change ALL your passwords, delete your Klarna account, and lock your credit. Ensure 2 factor identification is turned on for all accounts and that only you receive those codes.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • Legm31 How much do you/her owe in total at this point? You need to find a way to pay this off and delete the account or you will never get out of debt. This is part of a horrible cycle, taking vacations and buying things
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • y'all can't afford. Like even if you delete the account are you in a position to stay out of debt? (Besides a car payment, that's understandable as long as you get something you can actually afford)
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • Constant_Cultural Contact Klarna if you can block it somehow. That's credit fraud, you know that, right?
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • ravefaerie24 Pay in 12 for overweight luggage is J insane. If you can't afford to pay an overweight baggage fee in a YEAR, you can't afford to go on vacation. Period.
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • lyssasaurusX Do you live with your parents still? You need to start cutting ties with your mom ASAP. What you're describing is financial ab e. Absolutely do not let her put anything else on your credit that YOU don't want to end up paying off or having on your record in
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • collections. Asking your kids for help with home expenses if they live at home is one thing, demanding vacations be put on your kids credit and then not paying it off is insane
    via audreyhepburnloverr
  • Calm Mulberry_588 Everyone is on your side, don't worry about that. You should most definitely delete your klarna and maybe move out if you can? It seems like a really stressful environment to live in. No one should be overspending on credit, especially when you're the one who ultimately has to pay for it. That's awful.
    via audreyhepburnloverr

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