Cost of relatives visiting for the entire month.

**PRICEPLUS** · 03-25-2007, 07:51 PM

Well, if they are helping with the house hold chores I myself would not have a problem. If they are eating you out of house and home and using gobs of utilitiy then you may have to reassess!

In the end no one knows your relatives better than you and this is a very personal situation! Good luck with it!

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 03-25-2007, 08:05 PM

Nothing, they live with us for free. What can you do???? I'm in the same boat. ah well.

**JoyJoy** · 03-25-2007, 11:26 PM

Yikes!! Two weeks is more than enough. I like my solitude. Even if they are paying relatives, I think a month is just too long!!! Just my take on the situation

**crabbypatty** · 03-26-2007, 04:03 AM

Wow, you sound like a very gracious host. We live near our relatives so we don't have any visit. A month is a long time, are they coming from overseas?

**Scanner** · 03-26-2007, 07:20 AM

how do you handle relatives visiting????

It's called Days Inn.

**fairy74** · 03-26-2007, 08:44 AM

I would call them in advance and say we'd be happy to host you for 2 weeks, however we are going out of town for x event on the 15th (or whatever date is convinient) of June and have several other events planned for the end of June. Do it well in advance though...Perhaps for your next trip stop at their home for a week or two, do exactly what they do when they come to your home.

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 03-26-2007, 08:55 AM

How many people are we talking about, Markio? Two? I'm guessing you are talking about retired inlaws if they have a whole month free to be away from their own home. If the situation is a strain on you financially, I think you need to bring it up with them. If they are close enough to share your household that long, surely they are close enough to talk to about contributing financially.

Short of a discussion, maybe you could just casually ask for money (yep, that's what I said) next time you are headed for the grocery store. Maybe something like, "Hey, Grandpa Mike I'm headed out to the grocery to restock the refrigerator. How about a twenty from you to cover the roast and deli meat this week?" Or if the visitors are headed out to do something on their own, you could ask, "Say, on your way back this afternoon, how about picking up a large box of Tide, a loaf of bread, and two six packs of beer? "

You know how some people are uncomfortable talking about money issues? I think this is heightened in a guest-host relationship. It could be that all this time the visitors would like to have contributed, but were uneasy about how to do it without causing embarrassment or insult. Do they do something like give you a cash holday gift, yearly? That might be their way to help make up for their yearly drag on your budget.

On the whole, I think honest, open talk about the matter is best, even if you have to be the one to bring it up. That is, IF the visit is a strain on you financially. If you cannot bring yourself to talk money with them, perhaps you can find a way to ask for the yearly visit to be greatly shortened. Maybe it is easier to just say that it is hard on you to have visitors for that amount of time.

**fairy74** · 03-26-2007, 09:52 AM

I think Joan makes some good suggestions. Also did they ever offer to do something and you declined out of politeness? For some people, if they offer once and are declined, they will never offer again and you have to be the one to take the bull by the horns....

**cschin4** · 03-26-2007, 10:36 AM

Just enjoy their company. Money is not everything. Sounds like they help out a and that you really don't mind it. And, the time will come when they can no longer visit for whatever reason. Family ties are important.

**PRICEPLUS** · 03-26-2007, 11:27 AM

cschin4, that is a wise answer and so very true!

**jIM_Ohio** · 03-26-2007, 11:34 AM

my advice would be to make the guests pay for all the booze, and plan to drink heavily the month of June.

But you have never met my family, and that is what I'd do for sure!

**cschin4** · 03-26-2007, 11:45 AM

Some things are just not worth the battle. Enjoy. Personally, I always wanted to have a large family but have not been so blessed.

**th_tan** · 03-26-2007, 12:56 PM

Sounds like the only problem you have is sharing the bill for food. Maybe have them buy all the cleaning products, papertowels,toilet paper, etc. You can take care of the consumables.

**getforfree** · 03-26-2007, 04:34 PM

When were visiting our friends in another state for a few days, we went out to walmart and bought a cart of groceries. They were very happy.

Cost of relatives visiting for the entire month.