Helly Shah’s vibrant Korea diaries

Lifestyle Friend groups and families often run into uncomfortable situations when it comes to money — especially when one person’s lifestyle or circumstance doesn’t fit the mold. The expectations around spending, fairness, and “doing your part” can turn what should be simple social moments into frustration and resentment. Recently, one of our readers reached out with a dilemma many single, child-free adults quietly face: feeling pressured to shoulder more of the burden simply because they don’t have kids.Lifestyle Nora’s letter:HiBright Side, At a restaurant, my brother pushed the $325 bill to me: “You’re single with no kids—pay up!”I said we should split it. My aunt agreed: “Stop being cheap!” I smiled and excused myself to the restroom.Ten minutes later, I handed them a receipt for my portion only, along with a kind note to the waiter asking him toseparate the checks every time I eat with my family from now on.Then I sat back down calmly and continued sipping coffee while they stared at the...