How I Responded When My Husband and In-Laws Expected Me to Foot the Bill

Family is often seen as a pillar of support during challenging times, such as coping with the loss of a loved one. Yet, when money becomes involved, some relatives show their true intentions, eager to claim a share of the inheritance. This was the unfortunate reality for a woman who shared her story on Reddit.

She recounted, “I recently inherited a substantial sum of money from my mother. I’ve kept the money in a separate account as I haven’t decided how to utilize it yet and want to ensure it’s used wisely.

I noticed my spouse constantly bringing up the inheritance money, suggesting various ways I should spend it. Additionally, there’s been an expectation for me to cover nearly all expenses in recent weeks.

My husband and I recently joined his family at a restaurant to celebrate a holiday. Everything seemed fine until I realized that I was expected to foot the bill for everyone at the table.

My mother-in-law made a comment about using my “inheritance money” to cover the expenses, which angered me deeply, but I remained silent. I quietly paid for my own meal and drinks, then abruptly left the restaurant. Despite their protests and my husband’s attempts to convince me to return, I chose to drive home.

At 3 a.m., my husband returned home, launching into a heated tirade. He accused me of being selfish for leaving him and his family at the restaurant, claiming they had counted on me to cover the bill and believed I was generous enough to do so. He insisted that my actions embarrassed him and his family, framing it as retaliation for not assisting his sick mother. I want to clarify that these accusations are unfounded and untrue.

He’s furious and insists that I’ve created a rift between his family and myself, asserting that it wouldn’t have harmed me to cover the celebratory dinner.