Woman Tells Old Friend to Pay Up After a 1-Week Stay Turns Into 2 Months

A woman turned to Reddit for advice after a well-intentioned act of kindness spiraled into a stressful and drawn-out ordeal with a friend who overstayed her welcome.

In her post, she explained that back in June, a former high school acquaintance reached out, saying she was going through a tough time. The friend asked if she could stay “just for a week” while she sorted things out.

Wanting to be supportive, the woman agreed — even though she lived in a small dorm room. She believed it would be a short-term arrangement.

That week came and went, but her friend never left. “She never gave a clear plan, just kept saying she’d move out ‘soon,’ ” the woman wrote.

The situation quickly became emotionally draining. The friend didn’t help with chores, used her belongings, and showed little regard for the shared space. “She didn’t help with anything, used my stuff, took over the space, and acted like it was no big deal,” she said, adding that the stress left her feeling “drained” and without privacy.

After two months, she finally asked her friend for a contribution to expenses. “I told her if she was staying another week, she’d need to pay $150 to help with food and utilities,” she recalled.

The request sparked an emotional reaction. The friend cried, accusing her of being “just like her parents” who “don’t understand her situation,” and claimed she was being forced out with nowhere to go.

Despite the pushback, the woman stood by her decision. “I really think I gave her more than enough time,” she wrote, noting that her original intent was only to offer temporary help. “I wanted to be there for her when she needed a place, but I didn’t expect her to stay for months without helping out or respecting my space.”

Feeling conflicted, she asked Reddit if she had been too harsh. Most commenters supported her, saying the friend’s behavior was manipulative. “Two months is very different from one week,” one wrote. “She is using you and likely left her parents because they called her out on similar issues.”

Another added, “She needs to go back to her parents, get a job, and pay rent like a real adult.”

The woman agreed with the sentiment. “Exactly. I tried to be supportive, but I’m not her backup plan forever,” she said. “At some point, she needs to take responsibility and figure things out on her own.”

Even so, she admitted the situation left her feeling conflicted. “I still feel a little guilty,” she wrote, “but I also know I didn’t sign up for a full-time roommate.”