Family dynamics can get messy, particularly when there is money involved. Similarly, marriages tend to work best when both parties are on the same page regarding rules and values. So it can be pretty disconcerting to learn that your spouse is making choices that completely disregard previous agreements.

A netizen wondered if they were wrong to reduce their contributions to the household budget after their wife ignored an agreement they had since 1998. Despite agreeing to charge their adult children rent if they lived with them, the wife suddenly backtracked. We reached out to the person who shared the story via private message and will update the article when they get back to us.

Married folks tend to sit down and work out plans for the future

Image credits: Viktoria Slowikowska / Pexels (not the actual photo)

But one person was taken aback when their wife started making unilateral financial decisions

Image credits: Antoni Shkraba / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Local-Effective-613

Image credits: Lukas / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Many adult children pay rent to their parents

Kids living with their parents well into adulthood is more common than one might think. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that roughly one third of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 are living with at least one parent. Setting aside the fact that some might live with their parents to take care of them (around 33% of respondents suggest this is the case for them), the real issue is cost-of-living increases that keep young adults “trapped” in their childhood homes.

However, this shouldn’t be taken as some sort of “proof” that younger generations are mooching off of their parents. In many cases, the adult children still pay some form of rent. The aforementioned study found that three quarters helped in some way, from covering groceries to contributing to utility bills. At least half paid their parents rent. There are children who take this hospitality too far, which is why parents do need to have a solid set of rules in place.

Given the skyrocketing costs of rent in some places, it’s not surprising that parents would go the extra mile to help their children stay afloat. Good universities might be located in cities with exorbitantly high rents. Generally, the rent a parent might charge their child is going to be less than a landlord somewhere else. This isn’t to say that a parent should treat their offspring like helpless children forever, but there is some room to adjust.

The same study found that most parents (55%) didn’t report their child living with them as a financial burden or advantage. Only 27% said it negatively affected them. Ultimately, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to this question. Every family is different, but what is always important is for everyone to at least be on the same page.

Image credits: SHVETS production / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Every family has to agree on what works for them

This is the real crux of the matter in this story. If a family wants to charge rent, that is ok. If they don’t care and let their kids live at home for free, that is up to them. But if you happen to have an agreement with your spouse, you should at least talk to them before breaking it. Similarly, allowing the youngest to live rent-free might be fine in a vacuum, but it’s pretty clear the mother never considered that it looks like blatant favoritism.

No child likes seeing their parents always side with a sibling. Similarly, if you grew up with specific rules, for example, if you aren’t in college, you will need to pay rent, it can be frustrating to see those rules flaunted because your parents decided your sibling was more worthy. Young people make choices and sacrifices based on the rules their parents set out for them.

However, there are a few other issues in this story. The person who shared it does say that their wife did most of the childcare. Most likely they didn’t ask them for advice every single time since 1998, so perhaps she just decided that this was her call to make. Similarly, cutting one’s contributions is pretty petty, when this is actually a good opportunity to discuss what to do. Money is often a touchy subject, which is why it has to be treated with respect.

A marriage can’t be built on passive-aggressive gestures after all. “I chose to ignore the agreement just like you did” is childish. She should have been confronted sooner instead of waiting for her to notice the cut contribution. It’s not at all a bad idea to talk to your spouse about their unilateral decisions, but gestures like this are just petty and antagonizing.

Some folks needed more details

A few readers thought the wife’s actions were just favoritism

Others thought both parties were wrong

Some saw the wife’s side

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