Woman Refuses to Loan Her Brother $2K After He Insults Her Career, Says She Needs to ‘Get a Real Job Eventually’

Family tension isn’t unusual, but for one woman, a simple request for help turned into a sharp argument about respect and boundaries.

In a Reddit post, a 28-year-old woman shared that she owns and runs a small dog grooming business—a job she genuinely enjoys and that provides her with a comfortable living. “I own my own small business and make decent money, enough to live comfortably and save,” she explained. Despite this, her older brother Jake, 32, has long been dismissive of her work, often making jokes that she “plays with puppies” instead of having a “real” career.

Things came to a head last week when Jake called to ask for a $2,000 loan. His car had broken down, and he was currently between jobs. She told him she’d think about it. However, during a family dinner at their parents’ house shortly after, Jake reportedly made another dig at her profession in front of everyone, saying she should “get a real job eventually” and that dog grooming was “just a hobby that pays.”

That comment was the breaking point. The sister said she snapped, deciding that if her job was so insignificant in his eyes, then her money should be too. She refused to lend him the cash, which led Jake to storm out of the dinner early.

The situation has since divided the family. Their father sided with his daughter, saying Jake “had it coming,” while their mother has continued to text her, insisting that “family helps family regardless.”

Jake, for his part, has not apologized. Instead, he messaged his sister accusing her of being petty and claimed he was “just joking around like always.”

“I’m just so tired of him disrespecting what I do,” she wrote, adding that she’s reached her limit.

Online, many commenters rallied behind her. Some suggested that if “family helps family regardless,” then other relatives were free to lend Jake the money themselves. Others praised her for standing up for herself, noting that a “hobby that pays” and provides independence is something to be proud of—not something to mock.

The post quickly became a space for people to share similar experiences and encourage the sister to hold firm, arguing that respect shouldn’t be optional—especially when asking for financial help.