This Woman's Family Excluded Her From Vacation Plans, Now She's Not Sharing Her $2 Million Lottery Win With Them
Money can make family dynamics really messy, and that's the case in this story about a woman who won the lottery but refuses to share a cent. Here's the full story in TooGiftid's own words: "I (28, female) come from a family of five — my parents, my two siblings (30, male and 25, female) and me."
"Growing up, I was always the 'black sheep.' My siblings were the golden children, and while I wasn't outright ignored, I definitely got the short end of the stick."
"A few months ago, my family planned a big overseas trip. I found out through my sister's Instagram posts, not from them directly."
"When I asked why I wasn't included, my mom said, 'We didn't think you'd want to come, and besides, we're tight on budget.' It hurt, but I let it go."
"Fast forward to a month ago: I bought a lottery ticket on a whim and ended up winning a life-changing amount — over $2 million."
"I decided to use the money wisely: I paid off debts, invested, and set aside some for fun. I didn't tell my family right away because I didn't want them to treat me differently."
"Well, word got out after I bought a new car, and now they’re furious I didn’t offer to 'share the wealth.'"
"My mom said it's selfish to keep all that money to myself when they're struggling (news to me, given the vacation). My sister hinted that I should pay for her student loans, and my brother outright asked me to buy him a house."
"I calmly explained that I wasn't obligated to share just because we're related, especially given how they've treated me in the past. I mentioned the trip as an example of how I've been excluded. My dad said, 'That was different; this is family money.'"
"Now they're all calling me an ungrateful brat and saying I'm ruining the family dynamic. Am I the asshole for standing my ground and not giving them any money?"
So, basically, everyone agrees that the woman's family has no shame. "Not gonna lie, the audacity here is wild," user Carissa_Charm said.
"They didn’t even bother to invite you on their trip, but now that you’re stacking cash, suddenly it’s a family reunion? Nah. You’re not a walking ATM."
User RogerPenroseSmiles suggested getting a will and trust set up ASAP:
"Don't give them one red cent. In fact, I'd get a solid will and trust set up so that in case anything happens to you, they don't get shit either. If you don't have next of kin or family who actually treats you well, then give it to a charity of your choice, and with a locked down trust, there is no way they can fight it in the worst case scenario."
User Waterclarity suggested that the woman could pay for specific things for her family if she chose to, but advised never to hand them cash:
"Don't. Give. Them. A. Dime. If later, you want to help with specific things, do so, but YOU pay for them. Never hand over a check, never transfer into their accounts. Ride herd HARD on where it goes, and it comes from YOU, never them, to whatever you're paying for."
Another user advised saving all of the money, as $2 million can go quickly:
"More than half of lottery winners are broke within five years, and the major reason is family leeching off of them," user ElGatto6666 wrote. "If you break it down, $2 million is a lot of money, but it's not exactly money that you can retire on right away. For starters, you need to pay more than half of that in taxes, so you're only looking at slightly over that, which is a lot of money but needs to be invested properly. I wouldn't give a penny to those vultures."
And lastly, this user explained the common struggles that lottery winners go through when it comes to their families:
"Issues with family members reaching out for a share or feeling entitled, and the consequential detrimental impact it has on relationships is a very common problem faced by lottery winners," user x271815. "Winning lotteries often ruins relationships. You'll see changes in people asking you for gifts, loans, expecting you to pay for the table at meals, etc. People who have won have discovered that friends, family, and others rarely share the happiness of lottery wins, and that's when the relationships were sort of healthy, to begin with. It sounds like your family already thought you were a black sheep and will resent you for what they will view as undeserved good fortune."
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