2 money situations all on same day

[PeggySangtheBlues]

little bit mortified to have to ask but I am in two minds.

This morning was money issue central...

Number 1 - I knocked over a drink at SIL's house on Saturday. Completely accidentally spilt a drink on a laptop that I hadn't known was under the table. It was fine, though this morning I was asked by SIL to pay for a new one as apparently it has just died.

I did break it and I did, in my mortification after accidentally spilling, offer to pay towards it (though I hadn't expected to be asked to pay for a while new one). Dh offered to go halves with me as he knew I was going to struggle after number 2 (see below), and I paid, but I guess I hadn't expected to actually be asked. It's something I would never have asked even if someone offered (even if I was broke) because my philosophy is generally "shit happens. I left it out in a silly place, so I deal with it".

If DS had broken it I don't think they would have asked.

I have paid them for a new one, but I don't know if I am being unreasonable to be a bit depressed about it - I guess I just thought we were family so it wouldn't be such an issue. They definitely didn't need the money (this is fact - I don't want t out myself with any more detail though - please just take my word for it) so I feel like its just caused an awkward situation now.

We're having them round next weekend and I think it will just be awkward.

Number 2 - Dsis has randomly decided to just up and leave her job and town and move back to our hometown. She has quit her job and signed for what I think is a pretty expensive house. as she has no job, she has been asked for 6 months' rent up front.

She has asked me to pay for 4 moths' rent (£2400) and she will pay me back each month as she gets paid. She hasn't even considered that she may not get a job immediately or that it may not pay the ridiculous £600 a month in rent alone. I am 100% positive I wont get the entire amount back.

If I say no to this, she will borrow from my pensioner grandparents who never say no, and they wont get paid back, which I just couldn't live with myself if I allowed.

I feel totally backed into a corner on this.

When you add the two together, you see how bad my day has been. I work insanely hard for my money and I have a lot of debt still to pay off from my student and professional conversion days. I just feel a bit like everyone is taking the piss a bit. I suppose I ABU...

I spilt milk on my open laptop four months after buying it new. I took it straight to my computer man and he cleaned it up, ordered a new keypad for it, charged me £50 and guess what I am typing on now, some 6 years later!

Take the laptop and see if it can be saved, at least for your own use.

My laptop is under the table. The table has all the computer things and peripherals. It's the safest place for it there. Different houses suit different rules. No drinks are allowed on the table above it. I don't get why people think it's the SIL's fault it was damaged by someone else and she needed a new one. Kind of victim blaming.

£150 towards a laptop you broke is fuck all. I think putting it under a (side?) table should be perfectly safe, it shouldn't get kicked or trodden on or knocked off, so yabu (and tight).

Please will someone tell me where all these laptops are on sale for £150? I need a new one myself and anything decent is twice that much. However, given that she was stupid to leave hers under a drinks table, I reckon paying half price for it is actually fair.

Don't give your sister any money. Sadly, if your grandparents choose to, that's their decision. It may also be that they can afford to do it more easily than you can - not wishing to generalise but that would be true of the elderly people I know.

You should not have been asked to pay towards the laptop. They left it in a ridiculous place. I don't agree with the 'you break it, you pay for it' mantra. It depends on the situation. If somebody leaves something fragile behind a heavy door a d someone walks through that door and breaks it it is definitely the person who left it there's fault. I think leaving a laptop under a kitchen table is similar. You couldn't even see it was there. I don't know what has happened to manners. If somebody spilt a drink over an expensive carpet in my house and ruined it there is no way I would have the cheek to present them with a bill for another.

Thanks ll

I doubt Lazylohan knows me given that she has completely misread the thread - my brother is not involved. I referred to SIL and BIL and then to my DSis, but never to my brother, so I am not sure what her point is.

To the rest, thanks. I think I will ask for the old laptop.

The laptop was wide open. he just plonked it there.

As for next weekend, DH and I have paid for an activity for BIL and SIl to do with us next weekend that they will love - we wanted to be generous when we booked it ages ago and never asked for a penny for it. As we have already paid we cant cancel and I guess it's not helping my mood about the laptop given that I am generally willing to be pretty generous where they are concerned, but it's never reciprocated.

I think you need to be less generous with them in future, given that they are not at all generous with you. Leaving a laptop under a coffee table, where people put drinks, is bloody stupid - I would not have asked you for money had I been them.

Let it go but make a mental note to withdraw your generosity. If you go ahead with your weekend plans they will hopefully feel shame at their attitude, but if you suspect they wont, then cancel and do the activity without them. Even if you lose money at least you won't have the feeling of resentment at watching them take advantage.

Your sister is your bigger problem. I think you do have to say no and you also have to tell your gps that if they lend her money they likely won't see it again. Then leave them all to it - they are adults and you are not responsible for bailing any of them out of situations of their own making!

Easier said than done, I know. But your sis needs to learn to think before doing reckless shit and taking it for granted that you will sort her life out for her. You are not a walking ATM.

I spilled tea on my laptop and Apple repaired it for £200.

I feel pretty torn about who should pay being that it was in such a stupid spot (any backstory on why it was there?), but don't suggest they claim on their insurance - that's their decision. I wouldn't claim for anything as trivial as a laptop and I'd be terrifically irritated if anyone suggested that I did to avoid paying for something.

I agree with those saying that you should have the laptop then so you can try to have it repaired to either keep or recoup some of the money for the new one.

If someone broke my lap top I'm afraid I'd need a new one immediately.
My daughter spilled water on her new work Apple top of the range and unfiortunately it was utterly broken and could not be fixed even by the company IT experts.

If the laptop wasn't on when the drink was spilt on it then they should never have switched it on and let it dry out properly before switching it on.

It doesn't take long to do - particularly if they put dried rice around it and put it in the airing cupboard - so their not bothering to do this rather than waiting has cost you the money.

Agree with those that say to get the old laptop from him!

Will be interesting to see how different the model is that they get from the old one. And they could go to pc world to get a new one but not to get the old one looked at? Hmm.