Woman Refuses to Go on Vacation with Her Boyfriend’s Family Due to Cost: ‘No Way Without Going Into Credit Card Debt’

A mother of three says she has to miss her boyfriend’s family vacation because she simply can’t afford it.

The 36-year-old shared her story on Reddit’s “Am I the A——?” forum, explaining that she and her 37-year-old boyfriend are arguing because she would have to go into credit card debt to join the trip.

The couple has been together for three years and share a 1-year-old son. She also has two daughters from a previous relationship — one in college and another who is 9.

She explained that her boyfriend earns about twice her income and pays the mortgage, while she covers groceries and other household expenses. They each pay for their own cars, insurance, and phones, and they do not share bank accounts.

“I work from home in finance, and since our son stays home with me, we don’t have childcare costs,” she wrote. She added that she has been searching for a higher-paying job for about a year without success.

Her boyfriend’s family invited them to a well-known ski resort in February. She said she would be responsible for her airfare and her middle daughter’s, while her boyfriend would pay for himself and their son.

But after looking at the numbers, she realized she couldn’t afford it. Lodging would cost around $150 a night, plus she’d need to rent snowboarding equipment for herself and her daughter.

“I told him today that myself and my daughter just simply cannot go. I can’t afford it,” she wrote.

On top of the vacation costs, she is already budgeting for their son’s birthday in December, Christmas, and her daughter’s birthday just three days later.

She explained, “There [is] just no way without going into credit card debt.”

Her boyfriend, however, was upset and told her she should start saving now. She replied that she already is — for birthdays and the holidays.

She also pointed out the income gap, noting that she makes $24 an hour compared to his $50 an hour, and the rest of his family earns six figures. She then asked the forum if she was wrong for refusing to go on the trip.

Commenters quickly supported her. One wrote, “If you can’t afford it, you don’t go.”

Another added, “You cannot afford it. You have to put your financial responsibilities and children first. If he really wants you to go, he could offer to pay for you.”

A third person suggested the couple reevaluate their entire relationship, saying it seemed like her boyfriend was keeping two separate lives — “not fully attached, but someone to come home to.”