u/rimidivan33

I’m 26 and my younger brother is 22. He recently moved back home after quitting his job. He says the job was making him miserable, and I do understand that, but he didn’t really have a plan before leaving.

Now my parents are asking me to help him with money for a few months while he “gets back on his feet.” They want me to cover part of his car payment and phone bill. It would be around $400 a month.

The problem is that I’m not rich. I work full time, pay rent, have student loans, and I’m trying to build some savings. I could technically afford it, but it would mean I barely save anything and would probably have to cut back on basic things.

When I told my parents I wasn’t comfortable with it, they said family should help family. My mom got upset and said my brother is still young and needs support, not judgment. My dad said I’m being selfish because I have a stable job.

I don’t hate my brother. I actually care about him a lot. But I also feel like this is not the first time everyone expects me to be the responsible one. He has quit jobs before and my parents usually cover for him.

I told them I would help him look for jobs, fix his resume, or even help him make a budget, but I don’t want to send monthly money. Now things are tense at home and my brother is barely talking to me.

I don’t want to abandon my brother, but I also don’t want to become responsible for his bills. How can I set a clear boundary with my family while still helping him in a healthy way?