That is a totally craxy amount of money to give to relatives (and they're all minors, right? You weren't even bailing one of them out of a landlord's-about-to-evict-me crisis, were you?) just because they're girls.
Also, holy shit, was I ever born into the wrong family.
ION, my cousin who gave me a shower on Saturday reported this post-shower conversation with her 5-year-old daughter:
J: Did you see Jacqueline's fingernails?
Mom: Yes. Weren't they pretty?
J: They were so BLACK and SHINY. (......pause......) I LOVE THEM.
Mom (seeing where this is going): Not yet, honey.
J: But they're so BLACK and SHINY!
Mom: Yes, but maybe later. Little girls who are 5 years old and in parochial school don't get to have black fingernails.
J's twin brother (scornfully): Anyhow, black fingernails are a BOY'S color. Everyone knows that.
Fuji apples are the OTA around here. All three of us love them.
P-C, Happy Birthday! I don't get the paying off your family thing. Is it cultural or do you owe them? Does this have anything to do with your birthday?
Also, JZ, sorry you are headed back to work but I'm glad to hear Halloweenie is tucked in tight.
if you owed them the money, but it's less than 5 percent of your last paycheck, then yes.
It's more than half of my paycheck after taxes.
If you don't owe it at all, what the hell?
BEING INDIAN IS AWESOME. I'm the older brother. I have to take care of everyone.
(and they're all minors, right?
One of them is married. She gets $250. My little teenage sister gets $500. The little cousins get $100 each. It used to be $50, and before that, $25. Every time my mom brings this up, the amount goes up.
Oh, erm, I asumed you had to pay the amount in one lump sum. My angry protestations are based on that.
I'm supposed to give my grandmother $751 soon so she can go buy some fancy fucking jewelry from fucking India. Then the $100 checks go out to everyone else. I'm basically buying respect, I think.
And I have no sense of fucking budget right now with all the moving and needing to buy furniture and working out how much food costs and EVERYTHING ELSE COSTS here and I still have to actually pay for the car I bought from my uncle and I was HOPING TO PAY OFF MY GODDAMN STUDENT LOAN and yes I am making money and yes I seem to have several thousands of dollars in my bank account so sure I guess I can spare a thousand for my dear family but I bought a friend lunch on Sunday and that set me back a whole twelve dollars except I did it because I WANTED TO and I felt good about it unlike when I am OBLIGATED TO SEND OUT LARGE SUMS OF MONEY THE FRUITS OF WHICH I WILL NEVER SEE AND DO NOT CARE ABOUT BECAUSE WHAT DOES A SIX-YEAR-OLD DO WITH A HUNDRED DOLLARS?
Also, she's mad I haven't bought her a gift yet. I AM STILL TRYING TO GET MY OWN GODDAMN FEET ON THE GROUND, WOMAN. Not that it ever occurred to me to buy her a gift because I AM A HORRIBLE SON.
Also, holy shit, was I ever born into the wrong family.
Wrod. My family doesn't believe in giving children large sums of money, or even big gifts, because it will spoil them, or some such nonsense.
P-C, it it just your mother telling you that you have to give everyone this money, or does it seem like most of your family expects it.
My cousin, when he got his latest job, spent his first two paychecks on this shit. It's a thing, I think.
Now I understand. Maybe if you explain to them you are trying to get yourself set up properly, they will understand your situation. After all, loans must be paid off. I'm sure at the very least, your mother will accept it if you hand out a less than 25 % of what you currently do until you finish paying your loans and are settled comfortably.
Could you backhand it a little bit, P-C?
Like, instead of handing them checks or cash, open college accounts in their names? (Not for the married one, I guess.) Some kind of account they couldn't access until a certain time, but for a good cause?
It would be hella inconvenient, but the satisfaction could be worth it.
AmyLiz, between you and Sparky, I sure know where to come when I want to get my evil on.
