Mentally, it’s draining…no lie there.  She was only paying me $250 a month, too.  That was admittedly the last “blue pill” thing I did, and it’s been affecting me since.  Heck, my ex-girlfriend didn’t even cause me to get in as much debt.  Not only that, but this roommate and her literal 2nd grade knowledge of things besides what she’s learned on the Internetz, which isn’t much because all she researches is conspiracy theory stuff…as well as Christian-related things (which I myself enjoy, but that’s a side thing, really).  She didn’t motivate herself to home school like her brother did while her family moved throughout the country (she’s a military brat).  She wanted her parents to school her…she barely knows how to read or spell and doesn’t even have her license.

I feel like I’ve been taking the reins as the “father figure” in her life, and I don’t like it much.  She doesn’t clean the dishes (unless I start doing it, then she comes out of my room that she’s sleeping in and says “oh, I was about to do that…”).  She spends at least $10 a day on fast food or snacks at the local organic store (I’m sorry, but she makes minimum wage right now, and nearly $10 for ONE SNACK is a lot).  She spends $40 on cat food for her luxurious giant Maine Coon cat that she values more than herself.  She bad-mouths my best friend and his girlfriend (who’s the closest to a “NAWALT” I’ve seen him or anyone with in a while…though I stay skeptical).

Despite all that, the extra $250 a month has done an okay job at helping me out.  That being said, it’s simply not enough and not fair to me.  I pay $785 a month for rent/utilities.  So, what did I do?  I finally stood up for myself and asked her for $350 a month instead!  I figured it’s much closer to half the rent, while still accommodating for her making about half of what I do.

What caused this sudden bravery and willingness to stand up for myself?  Well, I certainly must thank the people on this site for that.  On top of that, I had to go by her workplace to ask for her rent payment (otherwise she was going to forget, and I was going to be away for the rest of the day).  She stood up to me in front of her co-workers, telling me “don’t transfer the money, and don’t withdraw it for me.  “I will give you the money when I get off work.  You can wait.  You can take me to the bank and I will withdraw it there.”  Her tone and her behavior (as well as the apartment’s rent going up in general) caused me to go over the edge.

“You know what?  Screw being nice,” I told myself.  “She’s paying $100 more a month.”

When she got off of work and she pulled all her money out from her check, she started handing me the money.  “250?” she asked me.  “350,” I told her.  Her face DROPPED.

Her:  “Really?  When did it go up!?  Why is it more now?!”

Me: “Rent on my apartment has gone up about $100.”

Her: “Why is that my fault?  Why do I have to pay that?”

Me: “It’s more fair to me, that’s why.  I’m still paying more towards the apartment, anyway.”

Her: “My MOM pays $450 for a one bedroom apartment where SHE lives.”

After this, she hands me $300 and STORMS away to my car while we’re in the grocery store where our bank is located.  I laughed.  If she leaves eventually because it costs too much, it’s no concern of mine!

Her mom may pay $450, but that’s not factoring in: Administrative fee, application fee, deposit, pet deposit, groceries (which she buys with the $800 a month she makes now), rental insurance, etc.  That, and I think her mom is on some kind of disability anyway, and the apartments she lives in are in the more run-down part of town.

No concern of mine at all.  If anything, I’m almost out of debt, I’m no longer in the negatives on my bank account and my account has been disabled so it CAN’T go negative anymore, and if I can make it through the next 3 weeks, I’ll be doing much better off financially than I have all year.  Not fantastic, but much better.