24-05-2025
Couple Opened Their Home to a Struggling Friend. Now, Everyone Expects a Free Place to Stay
A woman took to Reddit to ask if she was in the wrong for telling several friends and family members they couldn't stay at her home long term
The Redditor explains that she and her husband do not have any children and live in a 4,200-square-foot home
The couple vowed not to open their home again after previously allowing a friend to stay with them for six monthsA woman is turning to Reddit for advice after repeatedly being asked to open her home to friends and family in need, despite being taken advantage of in the past.
In a post, she shares the challenges of maintaining boundaries while living in a spacious 4,200-square-foot home in a beautiful neighborhood, which she describes as her and her husband's 'happy place.'
Several years ago, the child-free couple agreed to help a friend who was going through a divorce. 'What was supposed to be a few weeks ended up being six months before we kicked her out,' she writes.
The situation spiraled out of control when their friend's alcoholism created significant tension in the household. After finally asking her to leave, the couple agreed that no one would be allowed to stay longer than a short visit, aside from the holidays.
Since then, however, they've faced a string of requests from friends and family members hoping to move in.
'My dad's ex-wife wanted to move in as she was having financial issues: we said NO,' the poster explains.
Another time, her uncle asked them to take in his daughter and her four children, who were experiencing homelessness due to the cousin's struggles with addiction. 'So it's OK to make our environment unstable???' she questioned rhetorically, emphasizing that they firmly declined.
Most recently, one of the couple's friends has repeatedly hinted at moving in due to the ample space in their home. Despite their efforts to deflect these comments with humor, the woman admits that it's becoming increasingly difficult to handle.
"It does feel like people come out of the woodwork,' she writes, adding that this latest friend brings up the idea 'all the time.' While they try to make light of the situation, she confesses that it feels disheartening and even bullying at times.
Now, the woman is wondering if she and her husband are morally making the right decision by standing firm in their boundaries.
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Many Reddit users affirmed the couple's stance. One writes, 'OP and her husband aren't being cruel, they're just protecting their home and peace. Having a big house doesn't mean it's a free-for-all, and it's wild how many people feel entitled to their space. Setting that boundary was 100% the right call.'
Another shares, 'You are not running a B&B. Just because you have space it doesn't mean friends or family are entitled to it. No is a complete answer and it's ok to protect your own peace.'
Read the original article on People
