It’s understandable to want to help family when we can. But what happens when helping someone else negatively affects you? Should you help anyway?

In this case, a young man shares that his brother keeps asking for money, but since he also really needs it, he said no.

Now everyone thinks he’s heartless.

Let’s read the whole story and see what people are saying.

AITA for choosing my future over my brother’s second chance?

The responsibility I never expected.

I (24M) just got my first real job after college. I’m talking entry level salary and living on instant noodles trying to build a life.

My younger brother (20M) who won’t get a real job but insists he’s built for business, failed his first year after I paid his full tuition.

He blew the money on whatever and a failed startup with his friends.

Now he wants “help” again, but it would come at a cost.

He’s helpless, begging me to pay again.

At this time I only have a little savings.

I used my savings to furnish an apartment, a bed, a couch, basics I’ve been struggling to get for a year with hopes of helping him out with some other money that hasn’t come in as I expected.

He’s not sure how to feel about it.

My parents don’t think I’ve done bad with my decisions but it feels like a guilt trip.

I overheard my brother on the phone with his friends and they all think I’m heartless and don’t care.

My parents are almost silent on this matter. I finally feel stable but the guilt is crushing.

AITA?

His brother needs to make mistakes and live with the consequences.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this.

Exactly.

This person sounds baffled.

Yup.

Food for thought.

Something to consider.

If he helps his brother now, he’ll become an enabler of his behavior.

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.