Family members asking for $ :headdesk:

Mia Wallace · February 2010

Background: This couple, family members, were in serious cc debt a year ago. They have since closed all of their cc's and are attempting to pay off balances. They asked us for advice and we told them to have at least one cc open with a low limit for emergencies/booking rentals/hotels. They did not do this.

Today: Family asks if they can use our cc to book a hotel online for their weekend getaway. I asked if they could just use Paypal since you can pull from a checking account too. (I have no idea if this is possible)

She tells me that they couldn't do that anyways b/c they don't have enough to cover the hotel in their account. BUT they will have it when they receive their tax refund. Have they even done their taxes yet? No.

Okey dokey then. Thanks for the info and a BFN on us lending you money for a vacation. Thanks for playing:)

I'm not judging the $ situation, but FFS... why do people attempt to take advantage of family? Now we are "not being spoken to" by them. Boo frickin who.

Sunny1inTucson · February 2010

lame that they aren't speaking to you now. and lame that they asked for the $$ for a vacation in the first place.

I mean, why pay for someone else to take a vacation- huh??!!

Parks2Be · February 2010

My opinion...they don't need to be taking a vacation right now.

MegGary · February 2010

wow thats ballsy of them.

Califlorida · February 2010

i would consider yourself lucky that they're not talking to you. how annoying.

foreignroyalty · February 2010

Wow, that's so bad! Stick to your guns!!

BetchySprout · February 2010

Mia, you need to watch more Judge Judy.

1) Never lend money you can't afford to lose. Give it to them if you can afford it, but never lend.

2) People in that dire of straights shouldn't be going on vacation, anyway.

3) "We will pay you back when we get our tax return" is code for "you ain't getting paid back, sucka, and when you try to get your money back we will make you out to be the bad guy".

Trufax.

ETA: Patty needs to learn how to read. Apparently Mia watches plenty of CourtroomTV and/or Suze Orman, or has some kind of "common sense" there.

ameliasmom · February 2010

If you don't have the money for a weekend getaway....you shouldn't be going. That is my motto.

It sounds as though they are falling into the same problem but instead of owing the cc company, they would owe you. You did the right thing instead of enabling them.

Brookie-Cookie · February 2010

This is for vacation? I would have done the same as you. No way. If it had been for a funeral or something unexpected I may reconsider.

It kills me that people who can't afford a vacation feel so entitled to one. I have a number of people in my life like this. Now everyone needs a break but come on, do it with in your means. blah.

southernbelle82 · February 2010

Yeah spending money you don't have on things you don't need is always a bad idea. Wonder when people will catch on...

(hit enter too soon) Good for you for telling them no.

Rubygirl · February 2010

Wow, that's ballsy that they'd ask for money when you know about their problems.

But I can't say that kind of behavior surprises me at all.

B and SIL are in the process of declaring bankruptcy. SIL posts to FB how she found a great deal on laminate flooring and is on to shopping for new carpet and furniture. Apparently this is how she plans on spending my brother's tax refund - instead of paying off their massive debt.

I'm not supposed to know about the bankruptcy thing, otherwise I'd tell her it isn't too wise to post your extravagant shopping plans online when you're about to go to court for bankruptcy.

megontoast · February 2010

Parks2Be:
My opinion...they don't need to be taking a vacation right now.

this...

sorry, but if you don't even have enough cash in the bank to hold a hotel room you have no business going on a vacation.

I have an older brother who used to ask for money all the time. One time he called me on a Sunday afternoon and asked if I would come pick him up in Las Vegas (5 hour drive one way). He was $4 short on a bus ticket so he gambled to try to get the rest of the money and ended up losing it all. And I was the_asshole for saying "No, I won't come get you." He didn't talk to me for months.

like you said.. boo fricken hoo. LOL

Mia Wallace · February 2010

Well, I'm trying hard to not judge on whether they should be going away for a weekend or not. They were planning on driving to a hotel for some r&r, nothing too expensive. Their money, their business.

I just wish she would have never called and opened up their financial situation to us kwim? sigh.

ETA: I meant "their money, their business" if they actually had the cash. lol

102503Natalie · February 2010

Holy crap! My question is why are they even going on vacation while they're in such dire straits financially?! Priorities, people, priorities!

PC Princess · February 2010

It's not nice to offend the poor!

Ciconrad · February 2010

My DH's uncle asked us for $15,000. $15,000!! He offered his wife's diamond earrings as collateral because I would really sell his wife's jewelry out from underneath her if he didn't pay us back.

My DH thinks he might have a gambling problem and this was around March Madness last year. Needless to say, he did not get the cash.

momtoRaegan041008 · February 2010

Parks2Be:
My opinion...they don't need to be taking a vacation right now.

I agree.

Lucky_Dragonfly · February 2010

yeah FIL did this to us. The are totally up shiits creek in debt. He asked us to borrow $200 once but never gave it back to us. I know that unemployment is going to run out soon, andhe keeps puttin goff going on interviews by tell the people that have called that "now is not a good time"(in this market you don;t say that) and we know that he has to be making $30K in order to get by( bills and food) so we're just waiting for the phone call to borrow money. and we can;t give it this time, not with haveing hte house and DS now. This is all because he never wanted to say "no" to MIL so whatever she wants she gets. and she thinks that money grows on trees.