I Refused to Pay My Sister Back for Tickets She Bought Without Asking. AITA?

A woman (26F) is upset with her sister for buying tickets for events without consulting anyone in advance, expecting them to pay her back. This year, the sister bought tickets for laser tag and a game room, but the woman recently had two major surgeries, has a broken leg, and needs hip surgery, making these activities impossible for her.

Despite knowing her situation, the sister still expected her to pay for the tickets. The woman has previously paid her back for similar situations, but this time, she refuses. Her sister is now angry, and the woman is questioning if she’s being unreasonable. read the original story below…

‘I Refused to Pay My Sister Back for Tickets She Bought Without Asking.AITA ?’

I (26F) have a sister who has this habit of buying tickets for events around the holidays for the whole family without asking anyone if they actually want to go. She just assumes that we’ll all pay her back.

This year, she bought tickets for laser tag and a game room. While most of my family can enjoy those activities, I’m in no condition to participate. I recently had two major surgeries, have a broken leg, and need hip surgery.

So, these very physical events are simply out of the question for me. She knows about my situation, but still went ahead and bought the tickets, expecting me to pay her back. When I told her I couldn’t attend because of my injuries and would not be paying her back, she got upset.

To be clear, in previous years I’ve just paid her for things after she’s bought tickets without consulting anyone, but this time, I feel like it was too much. It should’ve been obvious to her that I can’t do those activities this year, and I’ve had enough of being put in this situation.

Now she’s angry, and I’m wondering if I’m being unreasonable. Am I the a**hole for refusing to repay her for something I can’t use and wasn’t even asked if I wanted to do?

Here’s the input from the Reddit crowd:

Worth-Season3645 −  NTA…”Sis, I am not paying you back now or ever again for items you purchase, for me, without asking me first if said item is even something I want.

As for these tickets, why in the world would you even buy me laser tag tickets knowing I could not use them? That is on you. I did not ask you to get them for me. You bought them. You figure out how to use them”.

kurokomainu −  NTA Actually, there’s no better chance than this to highlight how disconnected her ticket-buying habits are from what you yourself would want. Tell her you obviously wouldn’t buy tickets for something you physically can’t do.

She must see that her buying these tickets for you doesn’t make any sense. She never asks when she does this, and it was never okay, but this very obviously crosses the line.

In this case there is absolutely no justification for her buying the tickets and no reason whatsoever for you to pay for them. You didn’t ask for them. You can’t use them.

And you’ll make things crystal clear for her: you will never, ever again be paying for tickets (or anything else) she buys for you without asking you first.

Anyone she complains to only has to hear from you that she bought the tickets without asking you because she wants to go, and that she didn’t even consider your physical inability to do the activities. Anyone sane will not blame you.

KatFrog −  NTA. She needs to learn to ask people first. I think you (and possibly other family members) need to sit her down and explain the concept of “asking first”.

toosheeptheorist −  NTA – there is no way that you can partake in these activities, and your sister needs to give her head a shake. It’s one thing to purchase tickets to an event that people actually want to attend, but to purchase them without prior consent is over the top.

Just because she wants to do a certain activity doesn’t mean that everyone wants to. I’d also tell her that in the future you will not be “repaying” her for any tickets purchased without consulting with you.

WhyAmIStillHere86 −  NTA If you didn’t ask her to purchase the tickets, then they’re a gift and you owe her nothing

CastleCollector −  If you’re willing/able to burn a few bucks, buy her a ticket for something she is either unable to do or is totally uninterested in. If she says she doesn’t want to do it, then just go full-on with insisting how she owes you for it.

Just give her her own reasoning, and point out this is exactly the reasoning she has for you paying her for things you don’t get asked about. Some people need things to happen in a concrete way that affects them before they get it.

Fickle_Toe1724 −  NTA. Your sister is totally delusional. Do not pay her. Tell her she messed up. There is no way you can use those tickets. She will just have to deal with it.  Tell her that now, and in the future, you will not be paying for tickets you do not approve first.

She needs to ASK before she buys the tickets. Talk to the rest of the family she does this to. Hopefully, everyone will agree to tell her the same thing. She needs to ask, or no one is paying her. A few times of no one paying her, and hopefully she will quit.. Good luck.

Alone_Temperature342 −  Hear me out – she knows people won’t go and buys discounted tickets so when you pay her back, she makes money. Like half off at Groupon, but asks for full price back. Have you ever SEEN the tickets. or does she just tell you?

jxyvld −  now me i would laughed in her face once she asked me to pay her back but no your NTA and honestly let her be mad she’s the one that bought them she CHOSE to buy them so let her deal with it since you already said no

goldenfingernails −  NTA. Good for you. Paying her back is enabling this behavior to continue. Putting your foot down may mean she will actually stop buying tickets.

Was the woman wrong for refusing to pay her sister for tickets she couldn’t use, or is her sister being unreasonable? What do you think? Share your thoughts below!