We all know that one family member who always avoids paying the bill. But what do you do when it’s your sister-in-law? One woman, tired of being taken advantage of, shared her story. After covering for her sister-in-law’s “forgotten” wallet at fancy dinners many times, she finally made a bold move. Now she’s wondering if she went too far in standing up for herself.

I need advice on dealing with a tough family problem. My sister-in-law is making me frustrated, and I’m not sure if I handled things right or went too far.

Here’s the situation: My sister-in-law, who is 28, lives in another city but stays with us when she visits instead of getting a hotel. During her visits, she always wants to eat at fancy restaurants. The problem? She never pays. She either “forgets” her wallet or makes up an excuse not to pay her share. She even hints that because I earn more than her, I should pay the bill—never my husband, just me. Yes, I make good money, but that doesn’t mean I have to pay for her all the time.

In the past, I paid the bill and politely asked her to pay me back, but she never did. Last night, she chose another expensive restaurant, and I had finally had enough. I remembered a trick from a TV show and decided to try it.

Before we left, I told her that I wouldn’t be paying for her this time. Then, before we left the house, I pretended I forgot something and went back inside. Her wallet was sitting on top of her suitcase, so I put it in my purse without telling her. After we ate, she did her usual thing, saying she forgot her wallet and suggested we get one bill. That’s when I took out her wallet and said, “Oh, you mean this one?”

She was very angry and said I crossed the line by taking her wallet without asking. Now she’s even more upset because I told others about the story, and she says I made her look bad.

Best regards,
Jessica

Thanks for sharing, Jessica. We hope our advice will help you find new ways to deal with this difficult situation.