I have these neighbors. I got close to Jane who is 73. Her 41 year old daughter Rhonda, her boyfriend John and her son David live with her.
She is on social security and gets a small amount of money for food every month.
Rhonda gets paid over $500 a month to care for her mother who is physically disabled. She also cleans houses.
The grandson David doesn't keep a job. When he does work he doesn't give Jane any money or buy food or anything. They want him to leave but he refuses.
Rhonda and John are heroin addicts and spend all their money on it. They also spend Jane's money on heroin. She gives them her money every month. She's sick of it and complains about it and says she's not going to yet she still does.
Jane has been told by many people about Rhonda and John's heroin use but she refuses to believe it.
The problem I have with the situation is that they "borrow" from me. Rhonda and John owe me hundreds of dollars I will never see. I've been nice and forgave them and no longer give them money.
They rarely buy food. Jane asks for money and food all the time. She usually pays back the money she owes but just recently she borrowed $20 and conveniently "forgot".
I am on a fixed income myself and have to budget my money. I am careful with what I get. I go grocery shopping once a month and buy a little extra because I know Jane is going to need it.
Last month Rhonda asked me for money because they had no food. I gave her my credit card and told her she could use $50. Well they used more than that which left me with very little food for myself. And yet Jane was still borrowing food.
I know we're supposed to be generous and lend freely but I'm getting really tired of not having food and living on peanut butter and jelly, hotdogs and Ramen noodles.
They borrow other things too, but it's the food that's really inconvenient.
Jane gets meals on wheels so she gets one hot meal a day guaranteed.
Jane is extremely overweight and has lost a lot of weight due to them having no food.
What is the right thing to do? Where do I draw the line?
She is on social security and gets a small amount of money for food every month.
Rhonda gets paid over $500 a month to care for her mother who is physically disabled. She also cleans houses.
The grandson David doesn't keep a job. When he does work he doesn't give Jane any money or buy food or anything. They want him to leave but he refuses.
Rhonda and John are heroin addicts and spend all their money on it. They also spend Jane's money on heroin. She gives them her money every month. She's sick of it and complains about it and says she's not going to yet she still does.
Jane has been told by many people about Rhonda and John's heroin use but she refuses to believe it.
The problem I have with the situation is that they "borrow" from me. Rhonda and John owe me hundreds of dollars I will never see. I've been nice and forgave them and no longer give them money.
They rarely buy food. Jane asks for money and food all the time. She usually pays back the money she owes but just recently she borrowed $20 and conveniently "forgot".
I am on a fixed income myself and have to budget my money. I am careful with what I get. I go grocery shopping once a month and buy a little extra because I know Jane is going to need it.
Last month Rhonda asked me for money because they had no food. I gave her my credit card and told her she could use $50. Well they used more than that which left me with very little food for myself. And yet Jane was still borrowing food.
I know we're supposed to be generous and lend freely but I'm getting really tired of not having food and living on peanut butter and jelly, hotdogs and Ramen noodles.
They borrow other things too, but it's the food that's really inconvenient.
Jane gets meals on wheels so she gets one hot meal a day guaranteed.
Jane is extremely overweight and has lost a lot of weight due to them having no food.
What is the right thing to do? Where do I draw the line?
