Living with a roommate can be a great experience—splitting rent, sharing chores, and having someone to talk to after a long day. But when one person starts taking advantage of the other, tensions can build quickly. I learned this the hard way when my roommate, Taryn, decided she was exempt from paying for groceries, leaving me to foot the bill time and time again.
At first, I didn’t mind. We had a friendly agreement—if one of us was out shopping, we’d pick up groceries for the other. It seemed fair, and since I did most of the shopping, I figured it evened out. But as time went on, I started to notice a pattern. Taryn wasn’t paying me back. Not once, not ever.
The First Red Flags
It started with small things.
“Hey, could you grab some extra eggs? I’ll Venmo you later,” she’d say.
Or, “I forgot to get milk, can you pick some up? I’ll pay you back.”
At first, I didn’t think much of it. I mean, how much could eggs and milk cost? But soon, the requests escalated.
She started asking for more expensive items—imported chocolates, organic honey, artisan bread, fancy cheeses, and even bottles of wine. Every single time, she promised she’d pay me back. And every single time, she didn’t.
When I gently reminded her, she’d laugh it off. “Oh my gosh, I totally forgot! I’ll do it tomorrow.” But ‘tomorrow’ never came.
Meanwhile, I watched her spend money on things she clearly didn’t need—brand-new designer clothes, expensive takeout, and weekend getaways. It became painfully obvious that paying me back was never on her list of priorities.
The Breaking Point
One night, I came home from a long day at work, exhausted and ready to relax, only to find Taryn hosting yet another party in our apartment. The living room was packed with people, music was blasting, and there was food—lots of food. And not just any food. The exact expensive groceries she had asked me to buy, but never paid for.
That was the moment I snapped.
Here I was, budgeting carefully to make sure I could cover my bills, while she was throwing a lavish party with food I had paid for. I knew I had to do something.
The Plan
I didn’t want to cause a huge fight, but I also wasn’t going to let her walk all over me anymore. So, I decided to teach her a lesson in the most unforgettable way possible.
A few days later, she handed me yet another grocery list. This time, it was for an upcoming “girls’ night” she was hosting. The list included things like premium wines, charcuterie meats, exotic fruits, imported cheeses, and even caviar.
Perfect.
I took her list, smiled, and said, “Of course, I’ll grab everything you need.”
But instead of buying the real items, I got a little creative.
The Shopping Trip
I went to the dollar store and bought the cheapest knock-off versions of everything on her list. Instead of premium wine, I got a $2 bottle of off-brand grape juice. Instead of exotic fruits, I bought canned peaches and pineapple. For the cheeses, I grabbed individually wrapped processed cheese slices. And the caviar? Let’s just say it was nothing more than black-dyed gelatin pearls that looked the part but tasted absolutely awful.
I also made sure to get the cheapest, most questionable-looking deli meats, and instead of her beloved imported chocolates, I got a box of expired bargain-bin candy.
Then, I went home, unpacked everything, and set it up nicely in the fridge, making it look as elegant as possible.
The Big Reveal
That evening, Taryn’s guests arrived, expecting a luxurious spread. She confidently poured “wine” into glasses and took the first sip—only to choke in disgust.
“What is this?!” she coughed, eyes wide.
I shrugged. “It’s what you asked for. Premium grape wine.”
She moved on to the cheese board, grabbing a slice of what she assumed was aged cheddar—only to realize it was processed cheese.
Her guests started whispering. “Uh, this cheese tastes weird.”
Then, she grabbed a spoonful of the “caviar” and nearly spit it out. “What is this?!”
I smiled sweetly. “Caviar. Just like you asked.”
By this point, her embarrassment was palpable. Her guests, expecting a gourmet night, were clearly unimpressed. The party ended quickly, and as soon as everyone left, she turned to me, furious.
“What the hell was that?!” she demanded.
“Oh,” I said innocently, “you mean the groceries? I got you everything you asked for. Just like all the times I got you groceries before. Only difference? I did it on my budget this time.”
She went silent, her face turning red.
The Aftermath
After that night, Taryn never asked me to pick up groceries for her again. In fact, she even started paying me back for some of the things she owed. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to prove that my lesson had worked.
Eventually, our lease ended, and I moved out. We never really spoke much after that, but I learned a valuable lesson: never let someone take advantage of your kindness. Setting boundaries is necessary, and sometimes, people only learn through experience.
Looking back, I don’t regret what I did. I didn’t yell, I didn’t fight, and I didn’t lose my cool. I simply gave her a taste of her own medicine—literally. And in the end, it was a lesson she wouldn’t forget.
