NEED TO KNOW
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A woman confronts a coworker over a daily office habit
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The coworker repeatedly helped herself to OP’s expensive coffee pods without asking
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After asking to be reimbursed for the pods, she’s been called “petty” by her coworkers
A woman seeks support from the Reddit community following a tense workplace moment over something as small, but significant, as coffee.
In a post, she explains that a coworker has been regularly helping herself to her personal stash of premium coffee pods without asking.
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Stock photo of two co-workers having coffee together
“At first I didn’t mind because it was just once in a while,” the poster shares. “But now it’s literally every single day, sometimes twice a day.” What began as an occasional indulgence has turned into a daily habit, and the cost is adding up fast.
The woman notes that each pod costs around $1.50, and she’s been stocking them to help cut down on Starbucks spending while saving for a vacation. “I calculated it out and she’s probably used about $45 worth of my coffee in the past month,” she writes.
Though she admits she was hesitant to say anything at first, she finally brought it up in a polite way. “I said something like ‘hey just so you know those pods cost quite a bit, would you mind chipping in or bringing your own?’ ” she recalls.
Rather than responding with understanding, her coworker took offense. “She said she thought I was just being nice by sharing and that it’s weird to keep track of something so small,” the woman explains.
But the coffee was never meant to be a shared office supply. “The thing is I never actually offered to share them?” she writes. “She just started taking them one day and I was too awkward to say anything at first.”
Now the dynamic at work has shifted, with the poster feeling like she’s being treated as the villain. “She’s been giving me the cold shoulder all week and even made some comment to other people about how I’m ‘nickel and diming’ her over coffee,” she adds.
For the woman, it’s not about being petty. It’s about fairness and respect. “If someone was eating your lunch every day without asking you’d say something right?” she asks, highlighting the boundary that was crossed.
Commenters were quick to offer support and practical advice, validating her frustration. “Put the pods somewhere she can’t reach them,” one user suggests. “Lock them in a cabinet, drawer or box.”
While some advised that it’s too late to ask for repayment, they emphasized the importance of setting limits. “You haven’t spoken up until now, so you can’t charge her for the past,” the commenter continues. “Yes, she’s an A-hole for treating coffee like a free candy dish.”
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Stock photo of woman using a capsule coffee machine
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Others pointed out that the situation could have been better managed early on. “You aren’t overreacting at all but hopefully this can be a lesson on speaking up,” one person comments. “Calling her out from the beginning for taking without asking would have been best.”
The post has sparked widespread sympathy from fellow Redditors who agree the woman has every right to draw the line.
One commenter even imagines the perfect response: “If she asks why they are no longer available, tell her the truth. ‘I can’t afford to give them away any longer. You can buy them for yourself on Amazon.’ “
Despite the awkward fallout, the woman seems to be standing firm on her decision to finally speak up.
Read the original article on People
