Family ties can make us feel obligated to lend a hand in tough times, but sometimes that help comes at a hefty cost.

When one irresponsible sibling faces a financial crisis, the other sibling is caught between preserving the security they’ve worked so hard for, or doing what’s expected by their loved ones.

Read on for the full story.

AITA for refusing to spend my savings to bail out my sibling from debt?

My sibling recently approached me, asking for help with their financial situation.

Apparently, they’ve racked up a ton of debt over the past few years from “emergency” purchases and lifestyle choices.

They’ve been struggling to manage it, and now it’s at a breaking point where creditors are contacting them non-stop.

Their approach to money has been quite different, which has afforded them a much more secure outlook.

I’ve been careful with my money, working hard and saving for years to build up a bit of a safety net for myself.

I’m not rolling in cash, but I’ve got enough set aside to feel secure.

Their siblings request put them in a seriously difficult position.

When my sibling asked me to help, they weren’t looking for a small loan; they wanted me to clear out nearly all my savings to cover their debts.

They argued that “family should help each other” and implied I was selfish for not wanting to help them get out of this mess.

They try to offer other suggestions, but their sibling is intent on taking the easy way out.

I tried suggesting other options like talking to a financial advisor or consolidating their debt but they brushed those off, saying they’d take too long and that I was their “only real option.”

Amazingly, their parents are taking the broke one’s side.

They even got my parents involved, who are now pressuring me, saying that “family is more important than money” and that I should do this because I’m the “responsible one.”

They feel bad for their sibling, but they also don’t feel they should have to pay for their sibling’s missteps.

I feel for my sibling, and I understand they’re in a tough spot.

But it doesn’t feel fair to me to sacrifice everything I’ve worked for, especially when I had nothing to do with their financial choices.

The rest of the family is ramping up the pressure, making them wonder if they’re in the wrong.

Now I’m being called heartless and cold by my family, and I’m starting to wonder if I’m being selfish for holding onto my savings.

AITA for refusing to use my savings to bail out my sibling?

Sometimes, as much as we may want to, we can’t throw someone else a life vest without sinking our own ship.

What did Reddit have to say?

This sibling shouldn’t feel responsible for their sibling’s mistakes.

They should be admired by their family for being so responsible, not taken advantage of!

Giving their sibling money would not be helping in this scenario – it would be enabling.

Sinking money into an irresponsible sibling is not a good investment.

It’s not cold or heartless to protect yourself – it’s necessary.

Family is meant to be a safety net, but some burdens are just too heavy to reel in.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.