Outline:
A 16-year-old is employed at Pizza Hut and has been accumulating savings with the goal of moving out eventually.
NEED TO KNOW
- A young person posted on Reddit saying her parents “constantly” ask her to buy them things.
- Recently, when she was away from home, her father sent her a text message with a photo of him holding all of her savings.
- Her parents warned they would take the money, but later said they were only “kidding.”
Establishing limits with parents can be challenging, particularly when continuing to reside in the same home.
A 16-year-old explained on RedditThat her parents, both aged 35, have a habit of entering her room whenever she leaves the house. The girl has two younger siblings, a 5-year-old sister and a 15-year-old brother, whom she claims her parents “favor,” providing them with “anything they want” and rarely disciplining them.
“I have a job. I work at a fast-food restaurant. However, my parents constantly ask me to buy them things. I don’t mind it occasionally, but it’s ongoing, and they often don’t let me know I’m the one covering the cost until we arrive,” she wrote.
“Most of my money has been taken by my mom getting coffee. I know they’ve given me many things over the years, but they’re in their 30s and have two jobs that pay more than minimum wage,” she added, mentioning that she only earns $11 per hour.
Her parents “refuse” to allow her to obtain her driver’s license, yet they “complain endlessly” about having to take her everywhere.
Although she has affection for her parents, she is working to accumulate funds in order to eventually move out.
They drain me, and I believe our relationship will improve when I’m no longer under their roof,” she wrote, adding that she keeps her money, approximately $170, “hidden in a lunchbox.
However, in recent times, she received a message from her father inquiring if she “had some cash” that her mother could utilize. Her father mentioned that her mother was “meeting someone for clothes” and didn’t wish to visit an ATM.
After the teenager mentioned she didn’t have any extra money, her father sent a picture showing all the cash she had saved, adding sarcastically, “Oh, great, so someone just left this lying around…since it’s not yours…I guess it belongs to the person who owns the house.”
The poster informed him that she was “saving” the money, and that it wasn’t “extra cash,” but her father manipulated her into feeling guilty for not allowing her mother to use it.
After returning home later that night, her parents observed that she “was in a bad mood and inquired about it.”
I mentioned that I don’t want them going through my belongings, particularly my money. My father responded, ‘I was more concerned that you wouldn’t assist your mom if she required it,’ ” she remembered. “I attempted to clarify that I would if she needed help, but the scenario he outlined wasn’t actually a necessity.
The teenager said, ‘Dad was certain she would have returned the money, but I know from previous experience that she wouldn’t have.’
Her parents also became angry because her room was “disorganized” and told her that if she didn’t tidy it up, they would take her money. So, she cleaned her room, only for her parents to claim it was a “prank.”
“They claim they didn’t take any money, and that seems to be true, but it was the ‘joking’ remarks about taking it along with their past behavior of using my funds that upset me, making me believe they might take it if they desired to,” she wrote.
“My friend is worried and even plans to take me to the bank so I can exchange it for bigger bills and conceal it under my carpet. She claims they’re emotionally abusive and taking advantage of me,” she concluded her post, seeking guidance from Reddit.
suggested she open a bank account that her parents cannot access.
Highly harmful. Open a savings account that they can’t access and begin putting your cash into it, or if that’s not possible, use a lockbox with a combination they can’t figure out and hide the key,” one individual stated. “When my children save money, I’m impressed and wouldn’t even consider touching it, let alone taking it simply because it’s in ‘my’ house.
“Also, don’t justify their actions by using your money since they’ve purchased things for you or supported you. That’s referred to as parenting and involves that responsibility. The income you earn is solely yours,” the user continued.
Another individual mentioned, “As you are over 14, you might also consider requesting your own credit report from the main agencies to verify that your parents haven’t illegally opened any accounts under your name. I wouldn’t be surprised if a parent who behaves this entitled regarding their child’s finances. It’s important to look out for yourself.”
Read the original story on