I live on my own in the city, rent is expensive, my parents are saving for retirement, but they help me pay for it. I’m 27M, I have a degree and I’m currently about to graduate a vocational school for graphic design in NYC and getting into production. I have 2 part time jobs and work 30 hours a week. With the price of food and other expenses, I can’t afford anything.

To keep a long story short I was reckless in my early 20’s and didn’t think a lot about consequences. Now I can’t afford car insurance anywhere so I have to bike to work 3 times a week (I WFH on off days as a assistant video editor)

I know it sounds like I’m well off with my parents but trust me I’m not. My parents are trying to save for retirement and they are saying I am draining them, even though they own 2 properties. I am grateful for what they are able to provide for me as I am still trying to get into a higher paying career (I only get paid $20 an hour)

Life has just been a struggle this whole time. I haven’t even really dated at all in 5 years because I’m so focused on stabilizing a career but prices keep getting worse.

Maybe I have a doomer mindset but I don’t believe this economy will get any better and I’ll forever have the guilt of my parents looming over my head.

Either way a tl;dr of the latest situation of my bike being stolen a third time in a row. I understand my parents being suspicious, but I know for sure that I locked it this time. Someone had to cut the wire.

This was my only way to commute to work without spending money. Busses only take you so far in north Jersey. But my dad responded with “you had to have forgotten to lock it there’s no way someone would steal that cheap bike”. I asked them “why do you always doubt me” and my mom responding with a “what a silly question 😂”

It’s clear that my parents have bought into the perception that I am a reckless dependent child who can’t be trusted and lies about everything. I tried everything I could the past 5 years to improve myself and have them change their image of me. They recognize some changes, but it seems they still have me to blame for a lot of bad situations that still happen. I notice a pattern and I don’t like it.

Anyway please tell me if I’m a spoiled brat and need to shut up and suck it up. I paid for those bikes with my own earned money I really did care about losing them. But no one believes me.

I can take constructive criticism here but I’m very very used to gaslighting myself based on how my parents talk to me, but maybe I need to wake up a bit.