I like my ILs.
They're good hearted people. My MIL likes to buy me jewelry. They are generous to a fault and they adore Buffy and all that disclaimer blahblah blah.
They also have views on money that are warped beyond belief. (and it does make me understand why the Mr.'s views on money were so stab-worthy. He's gotten better and continues to get better).
They just moved--old house was a 'strategic foreclosure' (although it's more complicated than that on one level--MIL's medical conditions were making the house un-livable and it couldn't be rehabbed to be wheelchair accessable) and have some $$ issues relating to g-ma-IL's estate (that's a story I don't think I've posted yet. Predictably, the crazy evil relatives are creating a stink and the ILs ahve had to hire a lawyer. I heard "huh, that sounds like exactly what we predicted" come out of the Mr's mouth). So $ is, in theory (after the new remodels to the new house that are things they couldn't afford), tight.
So spending $50 on an 'extra' wardrobe for Buffy for their house (the child is NOT lacking in clothes--and we DO send clothes w/ her when she goes over there. But MIL likes to play dress up and so Buffy has at LEAST a week's worth of clothing at MIL's house) is NOT saving money. yes, if it hadn't been purchased on super-de-duper-sale it was worth $150. It's still a waste of $50, not a savings of $100.
If this wasn't indicitive of a bigger issue, I could write it off as a foible. But it makesme somewaht stabby and it makes me incredibly awkward about accepting things from them they don't have $ for (but declineing them would be WWIII)