Just to rant: feeling super angry that fil is keeping mistress with a kid outside, earns a comfortably annual income of $60k yet keep saying he has no money and asked hub and sil to give $800/mth for allowance. Then the mistress and her daughter lived comfortably like taitai, buy branded, buy tonic, high tea, drive new car. Even the dog goes spa twice a week, eats salmon or branded dog food daily. ? Dont understand why hub and sil keep giving in to fil knowing the fact that he is spending on the mistress! Argh!!! Incorrigible!

I think there are a few assumptions in there. Whether or not fil earns a lot or earns little, I think it is only normal and alright for parents to ask for allowance and I think children should actually take the initiative to give allowance actually. The amount is up to different family. Secondly, what ur fil does with the allowance or his income is really none of the children's business as long as he is not creating debt - like gambling and owe loan shark money. Whether he wants to spend it on himself or save or spend it on someone else, it is after all his money and he should have the choice to do whatever he wants with it as long as he is not hurting /neglecting the household. Is ur mil still around and married to ur fil? If yes then it's a whole different discussion about the having mistress thing and as the children u all can persuade the parents to deal with it otherwise there is nothing else U guys can do I don't understand why u think the mistress is living a luxurious lifestyle because of ur fil because it can be an assumption on ur part. For all u know, she has some monies with her or could be mistress of a few pple. 60k annually is not a lot and not v little, but most pple will not mind having more