They sold her their SUV for less than market value, but she didn’t realize that running their errands forevermore afterwards was a part of the deal. 

This mother of two was often alone because her husband worked abroad, but luckily, she had her parents to lean on for support. After they sold her a car for cheap, though, she wasn’t feeling so lucky anymore, because once they handed over the keys, they also handed over a list of demands, errands, and chores for her to complete: all without a speck of gas money. 

The older I get, the more I realize that no gift from a family member is unwrapped without a few strings attached. Especially larger gifts and presents, like cars, bicycles, apartments, and even old furniture, are given away without a favor attached. If you inherit an old lawnmower from your dad, expect him to call you up on Sunday mornings at 5 AM asking for a lawn trim. If your mom gives you their old refrigerator when they upgrade to newer appliances, expect to set up the entire interface for them in return. 

While there are some familial quid pro quos that are acceptable, some family deals have people wishing they’d read the fine print.