Is my brother being cheeky?

Augustus_the_Strong

He is being cheeky, but it's important not to fall out with him. Say you'll need the money back as soon as he can pay it - suggest paying off (say) £50 a month, either while he's away or when he comes back. So that you feel better about things, think of his backpacking trip as 'working abroad' rather than a lazy holiday. It might be worth pointing out that you won't be able to bail him out if he gets into financial trouble abroad unless he pays you back the money before he goes (but don't make this sound like a threat!).

pluglock

Yes you should ask for your money to be returned .

liam8282

Give him another £500 and tell him to enjoy himself on his holiday. :beer:

You can't take it with you, life is too short and at the end of the day it is your brother.

spelter

The responsible thing to do would be to pay you back, before all else. If he's saved 'a few grand', he is now in a position to do that, and I think you should insist that he repays the loan, before he goes swanning off, and spending what is really YOUR money, on a trip that most of us could only dream of. The trip might well be good for him, but it would be even better for him, if you could make him realize that he must settle his affairs first. Then he can go wherever he wants, with a clear conscience - as opposed to running away from his responsibilities. So even if you don't need the money, you'd be doing him a favour, really, by insisting on it. It might help him grow up. Good luck!

charlieann

I've leant both SIL's money in the past.
One set up a direct debit to pay off a certain amount each month the other had to be constantly asked and still owes a small amount over 2yrs later.
One of them i'll help out if they need it again, the other won't get anything.

Ebenezer_Screwj

This was not a loan, it was a handout - and money you can obviously afford to lose. Why have you waited so long for his savings to build up to such an extent without asking for some of your money back ? Why do people "lend" money, especially to lost causes ?

MJL81

Agree with the people saying lending to family is risky, sure if it's to help in a positive way as OP has done. General debts or problematic lifestyle choices don't get a penny from me.

In all seriousness, I'd offer to extend the loan on the condition that it'll have 5% added immediately to the outstanding amount, and 5% henceforth. Such that if he'd kept quiet for two years, earning a pile of cash preparing to then blow it along with your loan on a holiday. That'd be £600 owed. Then going on an extended holiday, delaying payment by a further year, you're now looking at £630 to be repaid in a years time.

This way your not putting yourself in the embarrassing situation of asking for something that belongs to you, but bringing a business transaction turning his abuse of good faith into a matter-of-fact approach that gives him useful options - cough up or pay for the service. It stopped being for free, when he abused good faith, don't feel bad about it.

Additionally consider that he'll likely return with next to no money, and not have a job. Unlikely you'll get your money when he returns, and a good chance of a request for more. So if you think you'll not see a penny of the money ever, write it off publicly within the family and make it clear you'll not lend anything more until the original amount has been repaid. This is important as you could find manipulation is used to get you leaned upon to lend again.