NEED TO KNOW
A 30-year-old woman took in her younger sister after she abruptly quit her job with no savings or plan
The sister makes no effort to find work, sleeps in, and contributes nothing while treating the stay like a vacation
When asked to pay minimal rent and job hunt, the sister exploded, accusing her sibling of being heartless and causing a rift at home
A woman turns to the Reddit community for advice after finding herself in a difficult situation with her younger sister.
At 30, the user notes she has always tried to be supportive of her 26-year-old sister, Chloe, especially as Chloe struggled with what she describes as a “soul-crushing” job in another city.
The poster shares in her post, “I’ve always been supportive, telling her to explore other options, maybe save up, etc.”
Getty
Stock photo of woman looking at TV
But two weeks ago, everything changed when Chloe called her in tears, saying she had just quit her job in the middle of a shift. Chloe had no savings, no backup plan, and nowhere else to go, so she asked if she could come stay for “a little while” until she figured things out.
“I was pretty shocked,” the woman admits, but she didn’t hesitate to let her sister move in, thinking it would only be for a week or two. She hoped Chloe would use the time to get back on her feet and start looking for work. Instead, the days passed with Chloe making “zero effort to look for a new job,” according to her sister.
Chloe now spends her days sleeping until noon, watching TV and scrolling on her phone, acting as if she’s on vacation. The poster notes, “She expects me to cook all meals (which I usually do anyway for myself, but it’s an extra mouth), and she hasn’t contributed a dime to groceries or utilities.”
The situation quickly became overwhelming, as the financial and emotional strain grew. After two weeks of this, the woman decided it was time to set some boundaries.
She sat Chloe down and gently explained, “While I love her, this isn’t a free hotel.” Wanting to be fair, she proposed a “very reasonable ‘rent’ amount (less than half of what a room would cost here)” that would help cover utilities and groceries.
She also told Chloe that she needs to start actively looking for work and to show proof of job applications.
The poster gave her a deadline for when the first payment would be due, hoping this would motivate Chloe to take action. But Chloe’s reaction was explosive and emotional. “She absolutely blew up, calling me ‘heartless,’ ‘greedy,’ and saying I’m ‘kicking her when she’s down,’ ” the woman shares.
Getty
Stock photo of a woman looking at a bill
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Chloe accused her sister of not caring and insisted, “family helps family.” Now, the atmosphere at home is tense, with Chloe barely speaking and making passive-aggressive comments.
The woman confesses that part of her feels guilty, recognizing that Chloe “genuinely seems to be struggling emotionally.”
At the same time, she can’t shake the feeling that she’s being taken advantage of, admitting, “I can’t afford to support her indefinitely.” With the emotional conflict at an all-time high, she wonders if she’s doing the right thing by asking Chloe to contribute and look for work.
Read the original article on People
