As a teenager, you need to understand responsibility and take ownership of your actions. One practical way to demonstrate this is by paying rent to your parents. By doing that, you are contributing to household expenses and learning essential life skills such as budgeting and saving.
It is a great opportunity to build a strong foundation for financial literacy and responsibility. But what if you’re more comfortable renting your own space instead?
What Is The Question
A user shared his story in forum and asked, “Am I wrong for moving out when my parents asked me to pay rent?” Here is the entire story for you:
Backstory:
The Original Poster (OP) is 23 years old and the oldest of five siblings (ranging from 20-10). Besides being a full-time student, he also has a part-time job in his field of study. After completing his degree, his employer wants him to join full-time.
What You Need To Know
He makes enough from his part-time job to pay for school and put some money aside. Both of the OP’s parents work full-time. The OP has taken a lot of responsibility for keeping everything running in the house.
What Does OP Say
He says, “I do the grocery shopping, the laundry, making suppers, and meal prep, so everyone has lunches ready to take every day. I also get all my siblings to do their part in household chores. For example, my youngest brother is responsible for feeding and walking the dogs. So I ensure dog food is in the storage and poop bags on the leash”.
The OP says his dad works long hours, and so does his mom. Over Christmas, the OP bought a PS5 for himself. The rest of his family still uses PS4, and the OP doesn’t share his PlayStation with anyone.
Related: Sister Made Homemade Food For Everyone Except Her Brother’s Stepdaughter. We Think She Is Justified.
What Happened At Home?
The oldest brother complained to the dad about how much money the OP makes and how he doesn’t share things he buys for himself. Because of this, the parents sat the OP down and talked about this.
What Did OP Say
The OP pointed out the amount of household work he does, but OP’s parents didn’t find it fair that he was earning so much money and wasn’t contributing at all. They told OP exactly how much money they expected from him as rent.
What did the OP Do?
The OP went to the room and did the math. He says, “If I gave them what they wanted, I would have about $800 a month left over. Suppose I dropped a couple of classes next semester. In that case, I could go to almost full-time hours with my employer, and it would only be one more year until I graduated with my second degree. But I could afford my own place and have way more free time and disposable income.”
OP packs his stuff and moves out. He stayed at an Airbnb for two weeks until he could sort out the apartment, school, and work.
What Did He Say
He says, “I just moved into my own apartment. I’m staying part-time until I finish this semester. I will work full time over the summer and go to a lighter class load/higher work hours in the fall.”
OP’s oldest brother has been tasked to do everything OP did. The chores have been split up again, equally between the other 3 siblings, and they are irritated at the OP for moving out.
What Does OP’s Parent Think
OP’s parents are upset that he left them in the lurch, and his siblings are mad that they all have more chores. OP’s oldest brother is salty because he has no free time to see his girlfriend and she isn’t even allowed in the house when my parents aren’t home.
What The OP Wants To Know From You?
“I’m enjoying my free time. I bought myself a plant from IKEA. I feel bad for screwing them all over, but it didn’t make sense for me to do all that work and pay rent on top,” shares OP. He wants to know if he should feel bad and if he was in the wrong.
You Are Not A Jerk
“If you ‘left them in the lurch’ that should be a flashing sign of how much you were contributing. I was ready to call you the jerk but your carrying the entire mental load of the household you shouldn’t be expected to share the money you earn”
They Just Lost A Slave
“They are all just irritated that they lost their slave. They are all jerks. Good for you for knowing your worth and taking the time to calculate everything out!”
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