How Do You Handle This Situation With Your Mother-in-Law?

Question

My mother-in-law moved in with us on October 18. She insisted that we turn on interent service for her, through our cable provider. She brought her computer along and it was hooked up the very next day. She had to pick up the modem herself, due to the fact of us working full-time and took it upon herself to upgrade the interent service to a package that's almost $50 a month. She been staying with her daughter for the past couple weeks to help w/babysitting and has not given us money for the internet service. She owes us $100 so far and it is due on Monday 12-10!!! We have let her know several times about the bill and the amount and she has not sent or stopped by with any money. I sent her a text last week and all she said was ok. I sent her a text today and have heard NOTHING.

How should I handle this? Do I have him handle his mother now? And how do I get him to take care of it? He doesn't even like dealing with his own mother because she's such a pain!

YES, I text her.
1st because the house she is in doesn't have a land line.
2nd she never answers her phone
3rd she doesn't check her voicemail
and 4th because I'll have proof on my phone that I let her know about the bill.

So I wouldn't call it inpersonable ... I'd call it covering my BUTT!

Answer 1

In my marriage we had a rule, you deal with issues surrounding your family and I deal with issues surrounding my family. (Unless it was something done directly to me that I couldn't ignore.)
I say pay the bill and call today and get the Internet canceled effective immediately. If she comes back to live with you, she owes you the $100 and she has to get it in her own name.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Your husband should be the one "negotiating" this. Since you are not "rich" you have to both make a decision, and then he has to put it to his mother.

I would suggest that you tell her, that because you cannot afford to pay this new bill, you have to cancel it. If she gives you the money, then continue but if she doesn't come up with it, cancel. Your husband has to decide to deal with his own mother. If it was your mother, you would be the best one to deal with it. If this is bothering you both, you have to deal with it head on.

If she pays for it this time, but you have the same problem next time, tell her the same thing but if it does happen again, this time keep to your word and cancel. Tell her again, since she cannot keep up the payments on a regular basis, and you cannot take on the extra money, you are going to cancel.
And that you cannot keep going through this every month therefore you are going to cancel for sure.

Answer 3

It is his mother so he really should be the one to handle this issue. But if she doesn't pay you then I would have the internet shut off & tell the company that unless they get YOUR permission no internet service will be turned on at your home.
If she wants it let her get her own line under her name & then she can pay the bill because it will be HER bill, & you won't have to worry about your credit getting messed up because of her or cutting your money short paying her bill.

Answer 4

well you dont want to come out and be completely mean and ruin things so i would just try and call her again and say it wouldnt be such a big deal but its not in your budget right now and it needs to be paid just remind her shes the one who wanted it and you housed her! its the least she could do is pay for what she did! let your boyfriend know hes the one who should deal with it though he is the son and sometimes its easier for them to be the bad guy~ hope you get your money

Answer 5

Let your husband deal with this, it's not something you want to dirty your hands with. If you keep insisting she will get offended by it and most likely start some sort of drama and use it against you.

Tell your husband he needs to work the bill out with his mother. You don't want anything to do with it and it's his responsibility. He most likely like most men wont do anything about it... so just forward the late payment notice to him and remind him again.

DONT get involved in financial business with your MIL make him handle it... even if it causes late fees, etc. It's not for you to do.

Answer 6

I would cut off the service, and make a payment ..to save your credit score...and change the locks. Let her stay where shes at now, apparently your are only good for her when she needs something, and feels no responsibility towards paying the debt for something she had to have.
Change the locks and keep her computer hostage until she pays the bill $ back to you.

Answer 7

I don't know who pays the bills in your house, but since it's HIS mother, let him know than it's HIS responsibility to deal with her! Don't become "The Bad Guy!". Turn all the bills over to him; expect the same amount in your household fund; and wash your hands of the situation! It's only an invitation to "The Battle"! If she were your mother, then you'd have to deal with her; but NOT your mother-in-law. DON'T LET HER LIVING THERE, BRING TROUBLE IN YOUR MARRIAGE!

Answer 8

Talk to your husband about it and ask him to handle it, if he doesn't then just cancel the internet and don't get it back until there is a solid plan that will work for all parties involved.

Answer 9

Cancel that crap! If she isn't going to have the decency to pay for it after she insisted that you get it, then turn it off. If she doesn't like it, as mean as it sounds, tell her to find a place of her own that she can have whatever she wants there. She can't expect for you to put yourselves in debt for her.

Answer 10

Cancel the internet service and unfortunately if she won't give you the money, then you are going to have to pay it.