My Sister-in-Law Always Refuses to Pay for Herself, So I Decided to Teach Her a Lesson

We all know someone who’s a little too frugal, but what happens when that person is part of your own family? Today’s story takes us into the life of a woman who, after being worn down by her sister-in-law’s constant attempts to save money at others’ expense, found a bold way to put an end to it once and for all.

My 26-year-old sister-in-law lives in another city but visits us often. Instead of staying at a hotel, she crashes at our place, and whenever we go out, she insists on dining at expensive restaurants. Without fail, she conveniently “forgets” her wallet or comes up with some excuse about why she can’t pay her share. She’s even hinted that since I make more money than her, I should be the one covering the bill—not my husband, just me. Yes, I do earn a decent income, but not enough to treat someone every time they visit. Still, I’ve often paid the bill and asked her to reimburse me. She never has.

Last night was the final straw. She had made a reservation at a high-end restaurant, and before we left, I made it crystal clear that I would not be paying for her meal this time. Here’s where things get interesting, and I’ll admit, I may have taken a page out of Two and a Half Men for this one.

As we were leaving, she and my husband headed to the car, but I pretended I had forgotten something inside. I went back in, found her wallet sitting right on top of her suitcase, and slipped it into my purse. At the restaurant, when the check arrived, she tried the same old trick—claiming she had forgotten her wallet. That’s when I casually reached into my purse and pulled it out, saying, “You mean this wallet?” She was furious, accusing me of invading her privacy by touching her things.

To top it off, after I shared this story online, my sister-in-law saw it and was outraged that I had made her look bad. Honestly, I don’t care. I hope this is a wake-up call for her.

As we know, money can be a major source of tension in families. In another article, we discussed a woman whose mother-in-law demands payment for cleaning their house, even when she wasn’t asked to do so. Family and finances—a tricky combination, to say the least.