Whether they be a lifelong friend or a stranger picked up from an advertisement, sharing a home with a roommate is always bound to be challenging.
Differences are bound to arise, such as working hours, standards of cleanliness, and what is considered a reasonable amount of time to use the bathroom and/or kitchen.
However, all roommates tend to put their differences aside and divide them evenly when it comes to household expenses.
In most situations, that is.
Redditor ghostinthehalll found himself increasingly frustrated with his roommate for always being the one buying communal items.
A problem that eventually took its toll on the original poster (OP)’s finances.
Having finally had enough, the OP felt he had come up with the perfect solution to this ongoing problem.
Having doubts about how fair this solution was, the OP took to the subReddit “Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where he asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for buying household items and keeping them in my room?”
The OP explained why he found himself in a less-than-sharing mood with his roommate:
“Ever since I (22 M[ale]) moved in with my roommate (32 M[ale]), I have been the only one buying TP, trash bags, paper towels, hand soap, condiments and basically everything considering communal in a roommate situation.”
“I am also the only one who ever cleans (mops, sweeps, cleaning the tub, toilet, kitchen and the dishes) but that’s a bit besides the point.”
“I’ve hit a bit of a financial tight spot and could only really afford rent, groceries and my phone bill and we ran out of toilet paper and trash bags for a week and he never bought more.”
“Don’t ask me what I had to do; it was horrific, but I didn’t have the cash to buy what we needed.”
“Theres no possible way he didn’t notice and the moment I could I bought more toilet paper but couldn’t get trash bags and so he just kept adding to an overflowing trash can and letting stuff just fall onto the floor.”
“I am now out of that spot, and I’ve bought what we f*cking needed, but I’m genuinely considering taking the trash bags, TP, and paper towels out of the communal spaces and just keeping them in my room because I’m tired of being the only f*cking person contributing to this household.”
“He works from home (he’s a streamer), and all he does all day is sit on the couch and get high and blast music and TikToks over his speaker and then play video games until 4 am on Youtube or something.”
“There’s no excuse for him not cleaning or noticing we need stuff.”
“Would I be the a-hole if I started keeping the TP and trash bags and what not that I buy in my room?”
Fellow. Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation, by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
- NAH – No A**holes Here
The Reddit community resoundingly agreed that the OP would not be the a**hole for keeping toilet paper in his room, away from his roommate.
Everyone agreed that the OP’s roommate needed to start pulling his weight, even if some felt it would be in the OP’s best interests to tell his roommate flat-out that he needed to start buying supplies. But some think that the wisest thing for the OP to do was move out.
“NTA, but you need to TELL HIM TO BUY STUFF.”
“Stop being so passive.”- DecemberViolet1984
“NTA.”
“You’re not his maid or his personal supply closet.”
“If he can’t be bothered to contribute, he can deal with the consequences. Keep your stuff in your room and let him figure it out like an adult!”- Younggod9
“NTA.”
“Keep it in your room and lock the door any time you leave.”
“You’re paying for these items and don’t have to share them.”
“Your roommate is a mooch and depends upon you buying things so he can use them.”
“He can afford his weed, so he can definitely afford toilet paper, you know?”
“He may have a stash of paper goods in his room anyway, and you just don’t know about it.”
“The cleaning thing he relies on you too-he knows if he leaves it long enough, you’ll get sick of it and clean up after him.”
“I don’t think there is an answer to that, unfortunately, other than moving out or getting a different roommate.”
“You’d like to think a 32 yo would be mature enough to handle these responsibilities but, here we are!”- mumtaz2004
“NTA.”
“You’d think a 32-year-old man would know better.”
“How gross.”- thickhipstightlips
“NTA.”
“But why you still living with this cheap slob?”
“Keep everything under lock and key.”
“Don’t hold your breath for him to start buying the supplies.”- mimianders
“NTA.”
“But I can’t help but notice that at no point in this story did you mention talking to him about it, so I assume you didn’t.”
“Open communication is key in communal living situations.”
“Yes, it’s stupid, but have a conversation.”
“Being passive aggressive is not going to make things better, and before you know it, you’ll just be counting the days until your lease ends.”
“Welcome to adulting.”- thirdelevator
“NTA.”
“Just buy stuff for yourself and keep it locked in your room.”
“He definitely knows he’s not contributing but is hoping you’ll keep buying everything and paying for it so he doesn’t have to.”
“Try and move out when your lease is up.”- Unhappy-Prune-9914
“NTA.”
“I wonder if he’s keeping TP in his room and taking it with him each trip, cause what did he wipe his bootyhole with for a week.”- AdLucky50
“NTA!!!”
“I can’t believe you haven’t already done this after the first time you realized you were the only one buying these necessities!”
“Did you ever talk to him about it?”
“Ideally, after the first time you bought and it ran out?”
“In any case, if he is not sharing the cost, you have every right to keep it locked away in your room.”
“Also, move as fast as you can.”
“If he is not contributing like any normal human would and should in a shared environment (cleaning etc), he is just taking advantage of you, and his actions prove he will not change.”
“If you cannot move for any reason, sit and talk.”
“Have a friendly observer present if you find this difficult to do on your own.”
“Maybe make a chore schedule.”
“I have had to tell my hubby once in a while to empty the trash, as I seem to see it quicker than he does (ha!) but he never lets it get to overflowing, that is just unacceptable.”- smileyclaudi
“NTA.”
“Keep them in your room and move out when you can!”- LowBalance4404
“I’d be asking for his share of what you’ve paid so far.”
“He can buy the tp from you, and you should make money from it.”
“But I wouldn’t continue to live with someone this selfish because they’ll be totally comfortable not washing their hands and just getting you sick.”
“NTA.”- NinjaHidingintheOpen
“Sounds like an uncomfortable, stressful way to live.”
“Have you talked to him about this?”
“Suggest starting a joint fund for household expenses.”
“Or say, ‘I’ve paid for the last xx months of things, you need to pay for the next xx months’.”
‘If he agrees but doesn’t take action, buy it yourself and when you demand payment, tack on a $25 inconvenience fee for your time and gas.”
“If he disagrees, absolutely keep everything locked in your room.”
“NTA.”- Majestic_Register346
“Have you TOLD him to buy that stuff?”
“No, you shouldn’t have to say it, but some people are stupid about these things.”
“Sit him down and tell him he either needs to buy a share of all that or give you money for them as you’re the only one paying for them.”
“Sort out a cleaning schedule too while you are at it.”
“If that doesn’t work, definitely keep the stuff in your room.”
“NTA unless you don’t talk to him.”- Rare_Sugar_7927
“Obviously NTA, but I’m curious if you’ve actually sat down and said to him, ‘hey mate, how are we going to split the housework and bills for common groceries?'”
“‘I think it makes more sense to just go halves on the cost for common things like TP, cleaning products, paper towel etc but happy if you want to buy your own’.”
“‘Let me know what you think’.”- wrenwynn
It’s pretty surprising that a 32-year-old man doesn’t give a second thought to the fact that his 22-year-old roommate is not only doing all the cleaning but also buying all the toilet paper and trash bags.
Not nearly as shocking as the fact that he hasn’t seemed to address the lack of toilet paper or trash bags in their home.
With this in mind, one can’t help but wonder if hiding toilet paper from his roommate is the best solution to his problems,
Perhaps he might be better off moving out completely…