Homeowner Fed Up With Neighbor Who Takes Their Packages And Gives Them Back While Asking For Cash

Neighbors are a special breed. Some are great, watering your plants when you’re away, lending you a cup of sugar, and waving politely from across the driveway. Others? Well, they treat your front door like their personal help desk, showing up unannounced with all kinds of requests. It’s like living next door to a human pop-up ad – you never know what they’ll want next, but you’re sure it’ll cost you.

One Redditor lives that reality every time a package gets delivered. Why? Because their overly “helpful” neighbor has turned into a human Amazon notification system, with a twist.

More info: Reddit

Some neighbors bring you cookies, others show up at your doorstep with sob stories and their entire wishlist

Package left on doorstep with a potted plant and red lantern, illustrating neighborhood delivery issue.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

One homeowner is frustrated with their neighbor who picks up their package seconds after it’s delivered, hands it to them and asks to borrow money

Neighbor troubles over loans and package deliveries described in text.

Text of a person asking a neighbor for a loan while returning their package.

Neighbor receiving a package at the door while smiling, related to neighborhood loans topic.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Text expressing frustration about retrieving packages in a neighborhood.

Text post about getting a doorbell camera as advice for package issues in the neighborhood.

Image credits: bjgrem01

The neighbor constantly asks for money from everyone on their street, so the homeowner plans on installing a doorbell camera

Imagine you order yourself a package, like one does, excited when the doorbell rings and you receive the “delivered” notification. But before you can even take 3 steps toward your front door, there’s a knock. Lo and behold, your neighbor is standing there, package in hand, acting like some sort of self-appointed neighborhood watch. That’s our Redditor’s story.

But wait, there’s more! This neighbor also wants to borrow money. Again. Because, you know, life happens, and what better time to ask for a $20 loan than during an unsolicited doorstep interaction? Yes, folks, this neighbor is running the worst version of a package protection-slash-loan service imaginable.

And apparently, it’s not just our Redditor who’s targeted – this person has been pulling the same move on the entire street, like some kind of broke Santa who gives you your own stuff before asking for a tip. And every time there’s a different excuse. Well, that sure sounds frustrating.

But why do we feel like we owe someone anything when they do a “favor” for us? Well, that comes from reciprocity pressure and some people use it as a sneaky way to get what they want. If they hand you your package today, suddenly they feel entitled to a loan tomorrow.

Delivery person holding packages at a front door, wearing a blue cap and shirt, part of neighborhood loans context.

Image credits: tonodiaz / Freepik (not the actual photo)

To find out more about reciprocity pressure, Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Dana Gionta, a licensed psychologist, coach and speaker, for some comments. She told us that this tactic works well because it taps into a social expectation of reciprocity, making the person feel pressured to return the favor.  This concept is often called the “law of reciprocity,” and it leverages the idea that favors should be repaid.

We asked Dr. Gionta what psychological mechanisms make people feel obligated to return a favor, even when they don’t want to. She explained that “External factors such as societal conditioning, and a desire to maintain social harmony and balance, are powerful, often unconscious influences in contributing to this sense of obligation or pressure to reciprocate.”

Other factors include the need to please others, an overly trusting nature, or difficulty saying no. Additionally, from an evolutionary perspective, cooperation and sharing within groups helped early humans survive, which might explain why reciprocity still feels natural.

We wanted to know what are the most effective ways to resist pressure from someone who keeps asking for money after doing small favors. Gionta suggests that, if you didn’t ask for the favors, remind yourself that the person did them voluntarily, and you’re under no obligation to pay. To resist future requests, set clear boundaries and politely refuse further favors.

You can say something like “When you offered to do x favor for me, you never mentioned you expected to be paid for it. It was my understanding that you did these favors for me because you wanted to. I don’t feel comfortable having to pay you for them,” Gionta recommends.

Our Redditor, and their whole street, honestly, might need to start treating their front door like a VIP club: entry by invitation only. Because at the end of the day, everyone deserves the right to retrieve their own mail—without paying an unexpected “neighbor tax.”

So, what do you think of this story? Drop your comments and weirdest neighbor encounters below!

Netizens suggest the homeowner stops giving the neighbor money, and buy them food instead, if said neighbor is actually in need

Comment on neighborhood loans issue, advises stopping feeding strays to solve the problem.

Comment advising action against neighbor handling packages.

Reddit comment about neighbor asking for a $50 loan.

Comment warns about giving loans to neighbors, suggesting to offer food instead to avoid persistent requests.

Text advice on dealing with a neighbor asking for loans and handling packages.

Man in a blue shirt showing an empty wallet, standing against a brick wall, symbolizing neighborhood loans struggle.

Image credits: frimufilms / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Text from an online forum discussing frustrations with a neighbor asking for loans.

Comment on asking neighbors for loans and taking packages.

Comment about a neighbor borrowing money while delivering packages.

Text response from neighbor about package and loan requests.

Comment suggesting Amazon Locker to avoid neighbors asking for loans.

Text message about neighbor questioning delivery verification without a camera, mentioning loans and privacy concerns.

Reddit comment humorously suggests borrowing money before neighbors do, referencing package delivery scenario.

Text advice on handling pestering neighbors and package delivery issues.

Text exchange about neighbor's frustration with package handling and repeated loan requests.

Reddit comment discussing a neighbor frequently asking for loans and rides.

Text exchange about a neighbor being fed up with package handling issues in the neighborhood.

Text post suggesting a strategy against a neighbor who demands loans while handing over packages.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!