Caroline Duddridge (who even considers electricity costs) expects the money in her account no later than the first of December. She charges adults $18 and children $6: “Some people complain and say they have children, but at the end of the day, that’s not my problem,” the woman argued.
A grandmother in Cardiff, Wales, charges her family for the Christmas dinner she has been cooking for six years. To make sure everyone pays, she calls them all before the first of December to check that the money is in her bank account.
However, she takes it with humor and even jokes: “If you don’t pay before the first of December, you don’t come“. As Caroline Duddridge explains, some “complained and complained saying ‘I have children’, but at the end of the day that’s not my problem“.
While some people call her “stingy“, her friends generally think it’s a good idea. Caroline also mentions that she always makes sure that no one ends up with money problems after Christmas celebrations, something that often happens due to the cost of gifts, especially in large families.
The lady has her reasons for having set up this plan, as she was widowed in 2015 and the family income dropped by half. In addition, she’s now retired, so she has no money to spare.
Due to the global economic crisis we are facing today, Caroline spends “dozens of hours” looking for products that won’t affect her budget. On the other hand, she explains that she always takes everyone’s opinions into account when planning what to cook.
Online users were quite divided in their opinions. For example, one person wrote: “It’s your house, it’s your rules. To each their own” and another also supported her: “It’s very expensive to organize dinner with only one income, not to mention how stressful it is to cook for several people. I wouldn’t want my mother to pay for that on her own”.
However, others dismissed her actions, saying: “This is really shocking” and “My mom and grandmothers are better people than me and would never do something like this. I wouldn’t do it either. It’s hard to organize dinners, but accept the loss quietly“.