This 16-year-old Redditor’s grandmother wants her to pay $300 monthly for rent, but she can only afford $100. Now they’re threatening her and calling her all sorts of names! What should she do?
Nothing to Spare
OP (Original Poster) is a 16-year-old who refuses to pay her 67-year-old grandmother half of the fortnightly pay she receives from the government.
A Foster Child
OP is under the foster care system even though she lives with her biological grandmother. That means the government pays for her school fees, extracurricular activities, school needs like a laptop and books, medication, psychologist appointments, and more.
As Her Legal Guardian
She has lived with her grandmother for 14 years, and ever since she turned 16, her grandma stopped receiving one of her payments from the government to take care of OP. She’s still eligible for the main allowance, just not the big one she got once a year to buy OP’s clothes.
Too Much, Especially for Me!
Because of the budget cut, OP was willing to give her grandmother $50 out of her fortnightly pay. However, her grandmother wants $150 out of the $330 OP receives!
This, however, wasn’t feasible for OP as she wanted to save at least $50 every two weeks so she could get her own place as soon as possible. She added, “The $50 offer is still up by the way. I think that’s an acceptable price, all things considered. I’d rather not pay rent at all until I move out, but $50 is a lot in the world of a teenager.”
I Have My Own Needs, Too!
She also explained that she wasn’t a freeloader; OP plans to buy her own food since her grandmother goes shopping without considering her, such as buying lamb when she already knows that OP doesn’t eat lamb. OP has also told her that if she needs extra money, she can always ask OP to borrow some.
OP wrote, “I’m also going to be buying stuff for the house that I’ve wanted for a long time now, like a blender, a better vacuum cleaner, one of those really cute little robot vacuum cleaners that I can’t remember the names of, a new fridge, a coffee machine, a steamer. Stuff like that. She knows all of this.”
No Other Source of Income
To clarify, both OP and her grandma don’t have jobs, and her grandmother hasn’t had one since OP started living with her. They don’t even have a car or own any pets; above all, they rent a house from the government.
Unfulfilled Promise
A year before OP shared this story, she was promised a job by a lady who works in a nearby coffee shop, but until now, she still hasn’t heard anything.
She added, “To be fair, I could try a little harder to get a job, though, and I probably will, very soon.”
Putting the Blame on Her
OP’s grandmother told her that the only thing hindering her from getting a job was OP, which OP thought was unreasonable. She’s already 16 and fully capable of staying home alone, all by herself.
What a Mom!
Her grandmother’s request was already unreasonable in OP’s eyes. But what’s even more surprising is even OP’s mother said that she’s a “disgusting and vile a**hole” for refusing to pay her grandmother $75 a week.
OP’s mom told her it would make her “sick to her stomach” to discuss such things.
Protected by the Law
As if it wasn’t enough, her grandma threatened to kick her out if she did not pay. OP, however, was sure she couldn’t do so until she was 18.
After all, she’s still a minor, and her grandmother is supposed to be her guardian until she’s of legal age.
Second-Guessing Herself
OP doesn’t think she’s being unreasonable, nor do her friends and the adults she’s talked to. But she still can’t help but wonder if she’s wrong.
Redditors’ Opinions on the Matter
The community thinks that OP isn’t the a**hole in this situation, saying that since her grandmother is being paid to take care of OP, then it’s a responsibility she has to fulfill. People have also given OP advice on how she should save her money.
A Redditor said, “Not the a**hole. Your grandma is being paid to care for you, including being paid money to help with your housing expenses. If she isn’t receiving money for your clothes, then a fair agreement would be for you to buy your own clothes, not give her all of your money.”
The same person added, “Also, please don’t spend your money on house goods until after you have your own place. What you really need to do is save your money in a place none of your family can access. Can you get a bank account in just your name? Because the minute you’re 18 and the government stops paying her, your grandma is probably going to kick you out.”
Just Wait It Out
Redditors also said that OP was right. As her guardian, her grandma cannot kick her out of the house.
“Not the a**hole. You are right. If she is legally your guardian, she can’t kick you out and has to provide shelter and food until you are 18. Neither can she force you to pay rent. I’d start saving all that money so that you can actually move out when you are 18, though,” a commenter wrote.
Be More Private!
People said it might be better if OP learned to be more private, especially when it came to anything involving money.
A Redditor wrote, “Not the a**hole. Why she is insisting on a disproportionate amount isn’t clear. Stay with your plan. Stop telling people how much money you have and why you are saving. Your financial goals are nobody’s business and will encourage them to try to borrow from you. Never loan money to anyone. Be happy.”
Was OP wrong for refusing to pay rent? What would you tell her mom and grandmother?
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This post first appeared as She Refused to Use Half Her Foster Care Allowance to Pay Her Grandmother $300 for Rent. Now Her Grandmother’s Threatening to Kick Her Out, and Her Mom Says She’s “Disgusting!” on Quote Ambition.
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