To chat with MIL about money- or get DH to

[sagalsmith]

This topic raises its ugly head every time she visits (few times a year from US). It stresses me out no end and have to the point where I think it needs to be addressed (I normally run away from people like this and avoid confrontation but can't here).
Mil (who's financially doing well- we are doing ok too) is extremely stingy with my 2 little kids.I've stopped 'looking the gift horse in the mouth' (its cultural for me but I'm in a mixed race marriage so happy to adjust) so now appreciate any thoughts of gifts from her.
My gripe is her reluctance to spend a cent/pence when out with the kids- not even an ice cream- they come back hungry after many hours. She will claim that she only brought x-amount which turned out to be not enough. When out with us, if DH is around- doesn't pay for anything which is fine. When its with me and kids, she either looks in her very small purse for a really long time (I've been watching the past 10 years and have on purpose delayed my purse too which doesn't work!), or just turns away when its time to pay/toilet etc. So of course I pay. A recent example is- she wanted a canal ride (which I have to pay for of course) which had a 15 min wait, she was hungry and wanted to get herself something to eat and decided to bring one child. The other started crying and wanted to go along so I looked for them- found them and she was looking at pastries etc and naturally the kids wanting some (they are little and normally share one). I stood back. She then actually suddenly decided that she didn't want to eat anymore and left the place and later said to me that perhaps its a better idea to just all eat after the ride- I never had a coffee the rest of the day. The kids went for rides, little snacks etc, my mum was also there and paid for some of the rides (she wanted to as a grandma)- mil did not spend a pence on anyone else (but bought something for herself to eat on her own).
I'm quite generous and consider myself kind hearted and have worked extremely hard to have a decent life (forgoing fun as a young person). I prefer kind people and generally stay away from stingy ones. I find her lack of 'spirit of generosity' extremely hard to handle- I've tried for 10 years but it really upsets me. It was ok before the kids cause we always paid for her very happily (plus fil was there who had a sense of fairness).
But her tightness with the kids- then coming up with justifications for her actions (meaning she knows what she's doing!).
Should we bring this up or should I suck it up?

[Hawkmoth]

I would take two lovely picnic bags out for the children and let her fend for herself. Odd.

[CaptainSweatPants]

Next time when she says she wants to go on a canal boat say
'sorry we can't afford it can you pay?'

[DuelingFanjo]

"they come back hungry after many hours"

Give her some money or some food to feed them. It's not her responsibility to feed your children. Perhaps she is somewhere starting a thread saying 'my DS and his wife never bother to provide any food or way of buying food for their kids when I look after them'?

[MrsMangoBiscuit]

Hmm, tricky. On one hand i don't think she should have to pay for you and your children. Sure it's nice to offer, and in her shoes I would, but I don't think she's under any obligation to. However, as there seems to be no give and take with her, I would be very reluctant to give. I would want to pay for rides/snacks etc for you and the children, and leave her to pay for herself. Would probably be pretty awkward to just start doing that without warning though, so I think you'd need to mention it first. "I don't want you to feel obliged to keep chipping in and paying for the children, so we'll all just pay our own way from now on." sort of thing.

[oldgrandmama]

Blimey, she does sound mean - and unkind to your little ones. Don't know what the answer is - you don't say what your husband thinks of this behaviour of his mother's?

[goonyagoodthing]

You are going to get the usual responses here "she doesnt HAVE to buy you food" blah blah. But I would starve her. Smuggle a packed lunch and feed yourself and the kids when she is not looking and leave her out. If you are going to an activity, have vouchers bought in advance for yourselves. I get what you mean about the spirit of genorisity, its not the money thing at all, its the blatant meanness and begrudgery.

[SubliminalMassaging]

I'm not surprised you've found this hard - I would too. Unfortunately you can't change the nature of a selfish/stingy person, all you can do is play them at their own game. I would make a point of never offering to pay for her share of anything, saying 'we are going to buy ourselves something to eat now, do you want to get yours at the same time, or later?' and if she sits back when a joint bill is presented say to her 'your share is XYZ' from now on.

[Iamcountingto3]

I wouldn't have a Big Chat about it as she'll just deny it. And from her perspective, you've always been happy with it, and have never said anything - why is it such a big deal now?

BUT I would be a lot clearer about expectations - eg. if you're going out for a day trip talk in the morning about food - "Shall we eat out? I don't mind paying for lunch for all of us, if you don't mind getting the boys snacks?" or "Have you got enough cash for us to eat out, or shall we put together a picnic?"

If she's taking the boys out, I would ask if she wants any money for their lunch and remind her what/when they'll need to eat - she may well feel she's doing you a favour by taking the children out for the day.... and/or has forgotten how VITAL frequent feeding is for family happiness!

[Iamcountingto3]

Oh, and much sympathy - I do know how annoying this can get - my mum does it, and it's so obvious that she's waiting for one of us to pay (whereas my dad and my ILs will try and pay, which means we often fight them for the privilege of paying!)

[CaptainSweatPants]

Does she always visit you?
Perhaps she feels she always forks out for flights

[ElaineVintage]

How embarrassing! I would just call her out on it. Ask her why she seems to avoid paying. End this ridiculous behaviour now.

[FetchezLaVache]

What does your DH have to say about this?

I think some people are just tight. I have a relative whose MIL is loaded. She once came over on an extended visit from Australasia, took her granddaughter out for lunch... and asked my relative to stump up for the child's share of the bill upon her return.

(Sorry, no help whatsoever!)

[NeoMaxiZoomDweebie]

What was her childhood like? I ask because my friend is this way due to an extremely deprived childhood. She hoards money.

[lottiegarbanzo]

I find it a bit odd that it reads as if you're not planning how you're all going to eat on a family day out. Surely you'd either have taken snacks and picnic with you, or expected to eat out. So you'd either have had a treat available for your DCs, or you'd have been expecting to buy a pastry or something yourself.

I do see that she's being mean and it's as much the behaviour as the stinginess - dangling the idea of a treat, then not offering it is awful - but I think you need to cover all possibilities, then see any treat as an extra.

She may feel she pays for flights, you host, and really wonder why you are such a stingy host, not wanting to take her out and show her the sights - including her as part of the family, who you'd be paying for.

[SkinnybitchWannabe]

YANBU. Take some sandwiches, snacks and drinks for your children in your bag. I would carry a couple of cereal bars for myself..let her starve

[ShadeofViolet]

Totally off topic, but where did you go on this canal ride? My DS would love this!

[redskyatnight]

If I had a visitor staying from another country, I wouldn't expect them to pay for anything for me/us - on the basis they'd already paid out a lot on flights (what is she like when you visit her?). I'd obviously be pleased/grateful if they did. I wonder if she's not as well off as you think she is - it sounds very like she's trying to economise. Or maybe she's fed up by your expectations that she will pay?

[WorrySighWorrySigh]

I do sympathise with this. My DM is very good at grand gestures but otherwise does tend towards 'short-arms, deep-pockets' syndrome.

We noticed this when we lived abroad - DM would visit (we paid for flights) regularly. She would buy gifts to take home, she would buy a takeaway (her choice, grand gesture) while she was with us but otherwise her purse stayed tucked away. She would then complain that visits to us were expensive.

[Alanna1]

Are you sure she has much money? Also lots of retired people get worried about money as must live off investments.

[badtime]

OP, I can't give you any advice, but I am a massive pedant and am driven to point out that 'pence' is plural - the singular is 'penny'. 'A penny', not 'a pence'.

[badtime]

Sorry.

[MamaMumra]

Completely agree with redsky

[sagalsmith]

Thanks! Just the support really helps and makes me smile. She owns a few rental properties, has her own and husband's pension, a part time job etc- so yes, there's some money. Flights are cheap as husband used to work on airlines-so perks remain. Goes on expensive cruises with friends etc, buys expensive jewelry, london theater etc- great that she's doing all that. When we visit, we buy our own food and do our own cooking (of course feeding her too) so as not to trouble. She is quite oblivious to my disdain at the stinginess- I always pay. Her son admits its a problem but has learnt to live with it. In fact another daughter complaints as well- she is generous with one daughter and kids but not the other daughter (in the US), and certainly not with us. She likes visiting us I think as she gets a lot out of these trips. What I don't like is that its turning me into a mean person because now I can't help but keep watching to see if she's going to pay or turn away etc- We used to invite her on holidays as well esp when fil first passed away and have a nice holiday planned for next year (home swap!) which I would have been happy for her to come along if it were not for this. So we told her no- and she's not too happy and can't figure out why. It really detracts from the positive aspects of the visit and she's not a bad person but its affecting 2 of her 3 kids. Plus its been 10 years and I'd like to continue a good relationship. The way I put it to my husband- she has to have one trip less on the tubes (£8) for her own entertainment and spend that on little things for the kids.

[SquinkiesRule]

She's just a stingy old bat. If she takes the kids out without you, last words from you should be "make sure the kids get some Lunch" and see what happens.
My mother used to visit us in the US every couple of years and was always paying for stuff even when I said no it's my turn, same when me and the kids went to UK to visit.