'AITA for snapping at my brother for not paying rent but spending money on partying every weekend?'
A woman turned to Reddit’s famous Am I The A*****e (AITA) forum to hash out whether she was in the wrong for finally snapping at her freeloading younger brother.
Taking to Reddit's infamous Am I The A**hole forum, the OP (original poster) started a thread titled: "AITA for blowing up at my brother for not paying rent while partying every weekend?"
A brother-sister deal gone wrong
The OP, a 28-year-old nurse, kicked things off by explaining how she ended up living with her 25-year-old brother Jason. After his relationship went up in flames, she thought she’d do the "nice" thing and offer him a place to crash. At first, it was a win-win. But as time went on, things took a turn.
She began: "I (28F) live with my younger brother Jason (25M). We moved in together about a year ago after he broke up with his girlfriend, and I thought it’d be nice to help him out. At first, it was fine actually kind of fun having him around. But now I’m at my wits’ end."
The deal was simple: split rent and bills 50/50. Sounds fair, right? Except Jason didn’t seem to think so. According to OP, “Since day one, he’s been late with rent almost every month. Sometimes he doesn’t pay at all, and I always end up covering for him because, obviously, the bills have to get paid.”
Her patience wore thinner each month, especially as Jason’s excuses piled up. Meanwhile, his bank account wasn’t exactly hurting when it came to fun.
“Jason is living his best life,” she shared. “He goes out every weekend, sometimes Friday and Saturday, hitting up bars and clubs with his friends. He buys expensive clothes, eats takeout from fancy restaurants, and even recently got himself a new pair of designer sneakers. But when rent is due? He magically ‘doesn’t have it.’”
OP hit her breaking point after a grueling 12-hour nursing shift. Exhausted, she came home to find Jason, yet again, gearing up for another night out with friends. She asked about rent—like any responsible adult would—and his response? Beyond infuriating.
“He brushed me off, saying he’d ‘sort it out soon,’” OP wrote. "When I pressed him, he got annoyed and said I was 'always on his case' and that I needed to 'chill.' He even had the nerve to tell me, 'You make more money than me anyway, so what’s the big deal?'
OP was beyond outraged. She didn’t hold back, telling him she was done covering for him and that if he couldn’t pay his share next month, he’d need to find somewhere else to live. Jason didn’t take it well, accusing her of being “heartless” and not supporting him as family. He stormed out and, naturally, started texting their mom to rally her sympathy.
As if OP wasn’t already dealing with enough, her mom chimed in, telling her to “be patient” with Jason because he’s “still young and figuring things out.”
"But I’m not sure how much more I can take. I love my brother, but I’m so tired of being his safety net while he refuses to take responsibility for anything. So, AITA for giving my brother an ultimatum? Or am I being too harsh?" she asked.
Internet chimes in
As expected, Redditors wasted no time coming to OP’s defense.
"NTA! You should have given your brother an ultimatum a long time ago. It's disrespectful towards you for him not paying his share of the rent! You did the right thing!!" one responded.
"NTA tell mom he’s moving back in with her…." another insisted.
"NTA. His crying doesn’t pay the rent. No words out of his mouth mean anything. Pay the f*****g rent or GTFO. That’s literally all there is to it," someone else chimed in.
"NTA. If your mum wants to baby him let her pay. Tell her he’s coming home to live with them cos you aren’t responsible for him and you have supported him enough. You are never going to get the money back you have already lost. And the disrespect of your help and time is bullshit from all of them," read a comment.
"NTA He’s 25! Not 18. He pays or he leaves. Grownups need to be held accountable. That’s the only way they will learn. Your mom can take him in because you know….family," another offered.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.