ugh money

[ratliner]

I just overdrafted my bank account for the first time ever today. To pay Sara's portion of the bills. AGAIN. I'm not sure what to do about it. I love her to bits,and I understand she has money issues, but she's also still paying for a data plan on her phone, she's got her super nice and super unnecessary car that is racking up payments like mad,

Comments

[mgnobr]

Gees, what a rough situation. I don't mean to be cruel, but i would probably advise you to abandon ship. At least, that's what i would do. Can you get a studio for less then you're paying for her bills and your own? As soon as i figured out if i could pay for a studio, i totally bailed on a horrid roommate situation years ago. I paid my stuff properly, gave my notice and left. If i stayed, i would have resented that friend pretty bad. Good luck. :/

[jarlean]

The solution is to not get dragged down. Don't throw good money after bad. If she can't make her rent, that's her problem, tel her to take it up with the landlord.

Stop paying for her shit. I know she's your friend, she's mine too, but when she isn't even making an attempt to curb her spending, it's time to bail out and get your money.

As for the other question, you got stuck in this situation the same way we all do. We want to help out a friend. Look at it this way, the lesson could have been a lot more expensive.

[colossal]

Listen to this man. Money and friendship are generally a volatile mix anyway, and you should absolutely not help her if it's just going to hurt you as well.

It can be hard to step back and watch it happen because she's a friend (as with Derek, she's a friend of mine as well), but bailing her out all the time won't be good for her long term, and it'll be hella bad for the friendship.

[ratliner]

I talked to her today and basically told her if she didn't pay up, I would cover her portion, but I would block her from the internet, and she needed to start turning her shit off unless absolutely necessary. No TV, no music, nothing except lights, and only at night. (She likes to leave them on during the day).

Unfortunately I HAVE to cover her on those things because they're in my name and if they don't get paid, it fucks my credit up really badly.

[jarlean]

If you can't cover both of your rents, you'll end up defaulting anyway. The difference is you'll have a lot less money than if you just let her swim on her own.

No offense, Cole, but you've never been a terribly confrontational person in my eyes. Telling her you're going to block her from the internet isn't exactly a big deal when she can get internet just fine from her $60/month data plan or drive somewhere else in her $300+ a month car.

It's good money after bad. Talk to your landlord. Sometimes their understanding, sometimes not. If you end up defaulting, you can deal with the debt collectors afterwards, and normally get your debt halved.