by jdmartin » Thu 16 Jul 2009, 00:36:31
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RonMN', 'L')et me tell you a little story. About 6 months ago one of my friends asked me if I would take his dog, he couldn't afford him any more. I know this guy enjoys a vacation or 2 to some place warm every year. I said to him "have you crunched the numbers on skipping the annual vacation in order to keep your dog?".
He became almost livid & said he would NEVER give up his vacation...I said "well, when your basking in the sunshine & watching the bikinis...tell y'rself...this vacation is what has cost my dog his life".
Damn, he doesn't happen to live in Ohio does he? There was a guy in Ohio who "couldn't afford" to board his 2 dogs while he was on a 2 week cruise so he took them in the basement and shot them. People are such assholes.
Back to Energy's problem: Of course I'm on board with everyone who said "don't do it", and if you did do it, then a)make it a small amount and b) consider it a gift. But it sounds like the decision's already been made.
Sometimes, to stay married, you end up compromising on something like this because there's no real alternative. If the other party's willing to burn the house down, there's not much you can do except move or get all the valuables out first. Your husband's reasoning for loaning the money is bullshit - those things he listed are what parents do - they help their kids in college, and loan (or give) them some money to buy their first house, etc. Parents shouldn't be leaching off their kids. Financially insolvent relatives are worse than no relatives at all because they become a drain on your own situation.
I guess I have no real advice to offer other than what's already been said. I go at issues like this as follows:
A) Say no and provide solid reasoning
B) Say yes to a small gift
C) Say yes to a bigger loan but not whole amount
D) Cave to the original demand
Obviously, starting at A and working up. Your goal, since it sounds like you can't beat the house, is to minimize the damage. So if you can give $500, or loan $3000, is better than loaning $5000. In the end you have to decide if the money's worth a divorce or permanent rift.
After fueling up their cars, Twyman says they bowed their heads and asked God for cheaper gas.There was no immediate answer, but he says other motorists joined in and the service station owner didn't run them off.