My mother-in-law and I get along; in large part because she lives 3,000 miles away.

She's always been the least financially responsible person in DH's family. Her and her husband (DH's SF) currently live with her oldest daughter. She quit her well-paying, secure job to start her own photography business a few years ago. She's been late on rent every month since then and has her cell phone shut off about every other month. Her husband works a low paying, dead end job .. but he won't quit, never misses a day, and picks up OT if he needs to. I can respect that.

It doesn't normally bother me. They're far away and they don't ask us for anything. Other than the complaints that we don't visit and they never see their grandkids (SD6 and SD8 are their only gkids) and how they don't have any money, I'm okay with it.

MIL recently started selling this "Plexus Slim" product (some new diet craze); which she has been buying and using regularly. Not cheap. Ok fine. Your latest attempt at fast easy money. Go for it.

2 weeks ago she was on the phone and DH offered to fly her out here at the end of summer for a week or so. His dad visits at least once a year and skids have asked why she never comes. She said she can't .. she doesn't have the money, she can't take time off work (although self-employed), she can't leave her dog that long, her husband can't get off work .. etc etc etc.

Just saw on Facebook that she spent this past weekend in Dallas .. at a Plexus sales convention. Airline ticket was easily over $400, plus hotel (she stayed at the Omni, no less) AND all the crap she bought while there.

Her life, her money. But I find it awful crappy to make your kids feel guilty about not coming to see you because you're too busy blowing your money on your get-rich-quick schemes. All the while freeloading off your daughter who is too afraid to say anything (and is also currently planning her own wedding).

/end rant.