Man Relying on Wife to Pay for His Family's Dinner with Inheritance Blasted

A woman ditching her husband's family at a restaurant after they pressured her into paying for their dinner is being backed online.

Sharing her story with Reddit's Am I the A******? (AITA) forum on January 1, user MirandaAddison13 explained that her mother had recently passed away and left her a large sum of money.

However, since receiving the inheritance, her husband has been "making countless suggestions" about how she should spend it, as well as expecting her to cover all of their expenses.

The situation hit breaking point during dinner with her husband's family on New Year's Eve. After discovering that she was expected to cover everyone's meals with her inheritance money, she "silently paid" for her own food and drinks, and then left. This led to a scene as she exited the restaurant, followed by a massive argument when her husband returned home.

Since being shared, the post has received almost 44,000 upvotes and nearly 6,000 comments from Reddit users, with many advising she "consult a divorce lawyer."

'Regret and Resentment'

Elizabeth Fedrick—counselor and owner of Evolve Counseling and Behavioral Services in Gilbert, Arizona—said large sums of money can change the dynamic of a relationship.

"It can shift expectations regarding financial responsibilities and obligations," she told Newsweek.

"Even if the money technically belongs to one person in the relationship, there is a good chance that both individuals will have an opinion on how it is used."

If you've received a financial windfall, Fedrick advises you to set clear boundaries on how you're willing to spend it—and don't waiver.

"It can be beneficial to put this money away in a separate savings account until the person who received it has time to process how they feel it would best be spent," she said.

"By keeping this money separate and away from joint funds, it can reduce the likelihood of the money being spent impulsively, which might lead to regret and resentments down the road."

Do you have a monetary dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

'Run for the Hills From These Grasping Ghouls'

In her post, user MirandaAddison13 said her mother had died a few weeks ago and left her a substantial inheritance.

"I keep the money in a separate account as I still haven't decided what to do with it and I didn't want it to go to waste," she wrote.

On New Year's Eve, she and her husband went out for a meal with his family. The event was going well, until she discovered that she was expected to pay for everyone's food.

"My husband's mom joked about paying for dinner out of my 'inheritance pocket' which made me livid but I showed no reaction," she said.

In response, the poster "silently paid" for her own food and drinks, and then left.

"They were shouting after me like a crowd and my husband tried to get me to come back but I drove home," she added.

When her husband got back to the house at 3 a.m., he raged at MirandaAddison13, calling her "pathetic" for ditching his family.

"They relied on me to pay for their food and thought I was gracious enough to do it BUT they were wrong," she said.

"He said I humiliated him and family and that what I did was an attempt to get back at them for not being able to help mom when she was sick. Not true is all I'm gonna say."

Now, her husband is accusing her of creating a rift with his family over "nothing." However, Reddit users unanimously supported MirandaAddison13. In the poll attached to her post, they voted her "NTA" (Not the A******).

"Let me get this straight. Your mother died after an illness and the thing your in-laws take from this is 'great, now she can pay for everything,'" asked RichSignal7022.

"I'd tell your husband you'd much rather [have] your mother around than the money, but him and his family trying to blind side you into spending it on them is disgusting," said Christinemfm_84.

"Not to mention the comment her husband made about 'not being [able] to help her mom while she was sick,'" added 2ndhouseonthestreet.

"Which means OP had no help from them but now they want her inheritance."

FluffySecretary403 suggested consulting a divorce attorney, as well as seeking out a financial adviser.

"Instead of suggesting they spend the money on buying a house or rental property or put away for retirement he wants her to blow the money away ever since she got it," they wrote.

"OP needs to get a lawyer, check her financial status, then get a divorce lawyer and run for the hills from these grasping ghouls," agreed Buttered_Crumpet09.

While LettuceAdmin commented: "You need both a lawyer and a re-evaluation of your marriage. Behavior like this is almost never isolated and unique.

"Very sorry for your loss and for the terrible place your husband has put you in."

Newsweek reached out to u/MirandaAddison13 for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

MirandaAddison13 isn't the only one to share her inheritance-related woes with the internet.

A Redditor was accused of "cursing" his family after spending money they hoped to inherit after his death, while a woman was advised to leave her boyfriend who hid his $56,000 worth of debt.

A reader also recently wrote to our What Should I Do? column for advice, after her children demanded more money from their dead grandma's inheritance.