Should I start charging my relatives?

Id create a menu, with prices listed and send it back when I get requests. LMFAO

If it was my mum or sister I wouldn’t take penny from them and vice versa. Anyone else sure, either charge or tell them to supply all the ingredients and you can make it in your spare time

You sound like the sweetest person, but it never feels nice to just have people exploit your good nature and expect things from you. I know it can be hard to say no but just practise saying no as much as possible, or it might be easier to say “I’ll get back to you” and just don’t. But definitely stop putting yourself out and making yourself uncomfortable for people who don’t even seem grateful.

They should supply ingredients or gas money if they want food consistently! Groceries are not cheap these days

You should make it very clear of your intentions to help the sick relative because they are sick. Everyone else can figure their own lives out. As for the hair stuff, my ex-SIL was a hairdresser and I didn't pay her for cutting my hair or my kids' hair but the couple times she dyed it I paid for all of the supplies. Donating her time is one thing but she should never have to donate her money to it and you shouldn't either.

Offering to do it for a price leaves the door open for them to say yes. I would just say no.

Even if you were to charge them, they may ask to pay you later etc which they won’t do. So as others said, just say I’ll see when I can and never get back to them. Or use your pregnancy as an excuse and say you aren’t feeling well. Don’t let anyone exploit you it aren’t fair

Either charge them or stop doing it. Tbh I'd stop doing it. You're pregnant and will be busy with your baby soon.

I'm so sorry but it sounds like they are really taking advantage of a lovely thing you've done to support a sick relative. Disgusting behaviour on their part.

Super easy solution. You literally only need to text back one sentence. “That will cost x amount of dollars, let me know when you want to set it up!” If they ask why you want to charge all the sudden you can either ignore it (you already made it clear in the first text to reach out when they want to set it up) or tell them you have a baby coming and need to save all you can. If they don’t understand that then they don’t need to be in your life. If they agree and try to go without paying, cut them out. One more freebie won’t kill you but you won’t fall for it any longer!

I would just say closed for business, gone bankrupt.

Honestly. If you’re pregnant and uncomfortable that’s already enough of a reason to not do shit for nobody. I braided hair as well for my family and once I stated I was gonna start charging people guess what lol they stopped fucking asking. I’m quick to say no because I’m already known as the mean relative but I also have strong boundaries and on top of that I’m 39 weeks pregnant so they all know better than to ask me lol. Please let these family members know that to continue to receive service they’ll be needing to pay a fee along with gas money if it’s that far out and if they get mad then cut em off cause you and your baby’s don’t need that bullshit 💯

You sound like you’re really good at this so I would actually start a real business. Thank them for helping you realize your passion in life, come up with some marketing material and send it to them and say you’re really excited and offer them a 15% family discount.

You have a great excuse to stop: you are pregnant and tired! You were being nice and now they’re taking advantage.

The baby is the perfect excuse. “I love being able to help, but I don’t have the energy with pregnancy and need to spend my time preparing for baby. I’m glad you enjoyed the previous meal!”

I think I’d personally just stop doing it. Sick relative obviously has loads of visitors so someone else can help out. Use your pregnancy as an excuse if you have to. Then even once baby here/ abit older either tell them a price or just say you don’t want to do it.

Thank you all for the advice. I am going to send one mass message explaining that I was happy to help but am no longer able to due to the time constraints and physical toll. I will, however, continue to sort food for the sick relative for the foreseeable. They are not able to cook the meals they need to be eating and it makes me happy to be able to help them. I will ask that the other relatives stop taking it because it’s only a week’s worth at a time. Thank you for the lovely comments, too. I work full-time (Legal field) and usually did this on my days off or after work, so I really do need to start using some time for myself.

You need self discipline. People will always push you as far as you let them. Saying one word ✨”no”✨ will solve all your stress.

I'm sorry but whoever is taking meals away from your sick relative should be ashamed of themselves whether the relative seems OK with it or not, taking food from a sick person is a no go in my book! You sound like a lovely person, and you're being a diamond doing what you are for your unwell relative ❤️ Everyone else, tbh they sound like they're taking advantage of you and your sick relative, I'd put my foot down and hard! It's one thing if you had offered, but you haven't, and it seems like they're just expecting it, your time and money, no one is entitled to that unless you say they are! If it's too much, straight up tell them "no", if you feel like you can manage it, charge them some money to do it, you've got a baby on the way you don't need to spending your money on full grown capable adults who are just expecting it and think they're entitled to freebies, they taking advantage 100%

Your relatives are being really out of pocket!! Definitely start charging for their hair and explain why ("this is what it costs for supplies/travel and my time") I would just refuse outright to cater for them. You're cooking for the one relative because they're not well, the rest of the family has no business making requests 😒