A 22-year-old recent graduate said her parents expect her to send them $300 a month even though she is still trying to secure her first full-time job in tech.
She explained on Reddit's r/entitledparents that she already pays for her mother's phone bill, car insurance, and other daily expenses, but her parents insist she owes them more. The demand has left her questioning whether she is being selfish or simply overwhelmed.
Money Demands Keep Growing
According to the original poster, her mother frames the request as repayment for raising her, often repeating: "I took care of you, so you should take care of me." On top of covering bills, her stepfather asks her to cook after overnight shifts and criticizes her when meals do not meet expectations.
Don't Miss:
- They Sold Their Last Real Estate Company for Nearly $1B — Now They're Building the Future of U.S. Industrial Growth
- An EA Co-Founder Shapes This VC Backed Marketplace—Now You Can Invest in Gaming's Next Big Platform
She also described being expected to handle unpaid work for the family. Beyond building websites for their businesses, she helps at the family jewelry venture.
At one recent jewelry show, she said she came straight from an overnight shift, repaired her car at 8 a.m., worked the event all day, and then went back to her night job. She bought materials for custom pieces, but her mother kept both the reimbursement and her own sales earnings.
Support For Siblings And Parents
The redditor said the financial pressure extends beyond her household. When her older sister fell behind on rent, she sent her $500. Her mother then told her to take on more shifts to keep helping.
Her father, who lives out of state, also asks her for money despite spending his earnings on alcohol. She said he recently told her she should have covered his trip to Africa for his sister's 50th birthday.
Trending: Backed by $300M+ in Assets and Microsoft's Climate Fund, Farmland LP Opens Vital Farmland III to Accredited Investors
Now he is pressing her to pay for a Christmas trip to London. When she explained she barely earns enough to survive, he responded, "you save for things you care about," and hung up the phone.
Savings Wiped Out
The OP explained that repeated requests have drained her savings. She used to set aside money, but recent car repairs—$900 for new tires and brakes—left her with nothing. During a trip to visit her father and siblings, she said she was expected to pay additional expenses because her father told her, "you're an adult, no one's going to pay for you."
When her mother later asked about her savings and learned the account was empty, she became angry rather than sympathetic.
Strain On Career And Well-Being
Beyond money, the redditor said she feels pressure to shoulder household responsibilities while working nights and pursuing post-graduate job opportunities. Her stepfather often accuses her of being lazy, saying she spends too much time in her room.
She added that cultural differences may contribute, explaining her parents are immigrants from West Africa and may have expectations that clash with her American upbringing. Still, she worries she is being stretched too thin, admitting, "I honestly don't know how much longer I can keep doing this."
Read Next: Have $100k+ to invest? Charlie Munger says that's the toughest milestone — don't stall now. Get matched with a fiduciary advisor and keep building
Image: Shutterstock
