Let's say you have 4k in savings... [I Ramble]

NO, you are not obligated help anyone. I recently inherited a 5 acre tract of land from my mother when she passed away. There was a considerable sum sent to me for oil and gas royalties from the property, about $75,000. People were coming out of the woodwork to get a part of the cash. I helped all three of my children out with a portion of the money, bought a few things I wanted with some of it and the rest went into savings. I am hoping to retire in a few years and whatever I can amass in savings will make my retirement more likely to be a success. It seems like more and more people feel it is someone else's responsibility to bail them out when they over extend themselves. I have overextended myself a few times over the years, and I always managed to dig myself out, sometimes it hurt more than others. But, it was my own fault and I didn't expect anyone else to help me. I have one son who doesn't ask for money, he wants to do his own thing, one son who feels I am obligated to bail him out of whatever mess he gets himself into. And one daughter who absolutely hates to ask for help. Sometimes it is hard to say no to my oldest some when he gets himself in a fix and needs a bail out. At some point, he needs to be a grown up about his actions though. In the great scheme of things I try to decide if they need help because they did something bone headed or they are just a victim of circumstances, in that case I am more likely to try to help. I try to just let them ride out the bone headed stuff.

If your relative wants to pay off bills and buy stuff, I would say they needed to save a little cash each payday till they can afford what they want instead of expecting you to pick up the tab.