Pay Dirt is Slate’s money advice column. Have a question? Send it to Lillian, Athena, and Elizabeth here. (It’s anonymous!)
Dear Pay Dirt,
I use to give my co-worker, “Carrie,” rides to work since we lived close by and worked similar shifts. Then I met my boyfriend and we planned to move in together and his place in the opposite direction. When I told Carrie she got very upset at me and started crying. She didn’t have a car, it was too far to walk, and it would be my fault if she lost her job. I felt trapped and ended up promising to continue to give Carrie rides even after the move.
Later I started to regret that promise. Even if Carrie pays for gas, it will add an extra hour to my commute and I don’t want to do that. My boyfriend suggested I find someone else to give Carrie rides, but there is no one really reliable like that at work. What should I tell Carrie and how else can I help her? She was a foster kid and doesn’t have much family to fall back on.
—No More Rideshare
Dear No More Rideshare,
Sorry, Carrie will have to figure out how to get to work without relying on you. An extra hour on your commute is too much. You can’t be her only plan: what if you’re out sick, get moved shifts, change jobs, or move houses, as you have done? She has a right to be upset, but she doesn’t get to guilt you into such an inconvenient commute. You should help her—former foster kids are not given a level playing field—but she needs to find...
Park Filed Complaint Against President Lee Ahead of 2021 Election Jang Youngha Sentenced to One Year in Prison, Two Years Probation Confirmed The police have launched an investigation into Park Chu...