I (30F) work in an open office, and I have a portable charger I keep at my desk. It’s mine — I bought it because I often take calls away from my computer and need my phone charged throughout the day.
There’s a coworker, “Jenna,” who works on the other side of the floor. A few weeks ago, she asked if she could borrow my charger because her phone was dying. I said sure, no problem. But ever since then, she’s started coming over almost every day and plugging her phone into it without asking.
It’s not a huge deal, but she just assumes she can use it now, and sometimes my charger dies halfway through the day because she’s drained it. One time, I went to use it and found it gone — she had taken it to her desk without saying anything.
So last week, I told her nicely, “Hey, I actually need to keep the charger for myself during the day — hope that’s okay.” She kind of laughed and said, “Oh wow, sorry, didn’t realize it was such a big deal.” Then she walked off.
Now she’s been giving me the cold shoulder. I heard from another coworker that she’s been saying I’m “stingy” and “territorial over a phone charger.” A few other people seem distant too, like I broke some unspoken office rule.
I don’t think I was rude, and it’s not like I said she could never use it — I just didn’t want to be the designated charging station. So now I’m wondering… was I petty about this?
AITA?
Comments
Nope, NTA at all.
You were generous the first time and even multiple times after that. Letting her use your charger once doesn’t mean she gets lifetime access — especially when she started using it daily without asking, draining it, and even taking it to her desk without permission. That’s just plain inconsiderate.
You also handled it respectfully. You didn’t snap at her or make a scene. You just let her know — politely — that you needed it for yourself. That’s perfectly reasonable, especially since it’s your personal item.
Her reaction says more about her than it does about you. If someone gets offended because you set a boundary after they repeatedly overstepped, that’s on them, not you.
Also, it’s honestly wild that other coworkers would distance themselves over a phone charger. If they think that makes you stingy, they’re probably buying into drama that Jenna is stirring up, which again, isn’t your fault.
You weren’t petty — you were setting a fair boundary. If anything, she was the one being presumptuous.
So yeah — you’re in the clear.
NTA. I keep my phone charger in my purse, locked in my desk. I’ve seen far too many personal items stolen with no ability to get them back. Your co-worker needs to buy her own.
Do you have access to an electrical plug? Perhaps taking a USB plug into the office would make life easier, and cheaper.
YTA. This is more AI drek. You can tell from all the “quotes for no reason”. If you agree, remember to downvote the post itself.
NTA. She can get her own charger. It is your property, and you made the mistake of being nice once. She sounds like the type of person that if you give an inch she takes a mile, and punishes you for setting boundaries with your own property. Now she is creating a hostile work environment that should be addressed by management.
NTA, she needs to get her own. If she’s talking trash about you in the office, start telling others you suggested she get her own and she said, “Why should I when I can just sponge off of you?” Let them know she is the stingy one who won’t get her own charger.
NTA! We’ve all had (dear) coworkers who take advantage. Told my cousin to get an outlet installed in her office after a similar shitshow. How many times did ya let this vulture hog your charger before she started presuming?
nta. Jenna is a jerk.
NTA. You know a coworker of mine let me use hers once when I left mine at home, I made sure to put mine back in my bag when I got home. I always keep it with me so I don’t have to do that. If she’s so big on needing a charger… BUY ONE.
It’s not rocket science.
If it’s not a big deal like she claims it to be, she can buy her own damn charger. NTA, she’s taken advantage of your generosity and if she can’t keep her phone charged to a decent level, that’s her own irresponsibility.
Nta, she was using it like it was hers. Why would you ask her if it was okay if you use your own stuff? You can tell people no. Next time just send her the link of where you got it and say, I know you really like to use my charger. Here’s the link.
NTA
Never say “hope that’s okay” to someone like that about your own stuff.
Go take it and say, please don’t take my charger without asking.
She is T A
You are NTA.
I don’t know what’s up with your coworkers, it’s weird for anyone to think your personal property becomes community property just because your at the office.
How do you drain a charger??? Sounds fictional to me.
NTA. If she’s so happy calling you stingy, I would clap back and call her a cheapskate. After all she is working and making money, what’s stopping her from purchasing her own charger?
.——- my god @BKRF1999
You’re right !!!!!
It’s crazy, I have gone to work and forgotten a microfiber cloth for my glasses, or a phone charger, or shit like this- but I will only ask to borrow somebody else’s every once in a while or if I’m in desperate need because ultimately I don’t wanna bother them and it’s my fault if I don’t have my crap. If somebody even gave me the lightest hint that I was asking too much, I would probably never ask them again. Like, it’s common sense to be weary of inconveniencing other people…. I think this girl is a little gossip bully who probably looks for things to complain about every day and today it got to be you.
At first, yes, but as I understand it, you’re talking about an independent battery that you can use to charge your phone? If that’s the case, keep that in your pocketbook. Not an asshole for thinking ahead and being prepared. Those things are inexpensive, she can buy her own.
Tell her loudly she lost the privilege when she decided to steal the charger from your desk.
If it’s not that big of a deal, she can get her own charger.
She took a one-time permission as indefinite permission, and decided to extend that permission again by taking it to her own desk. Technically theft.
NTA
Tell her to buy her own dam change. Why do people think they are entitled to other people’s stuff. And how does she not carry a charger for her phone.
It’s been happening over a few weeks and she’s taken advantage of you but called YOU stingy when she hasn’t had the bright idea to buy one for herself.
NTA but end the annoyance and buy her a charger. Or buy yourself a new one and give her your old one since she seems so fond of it
NTA but you could just buy her a cheap charger from Amazon and put it in a little gift bag. I’m a kill em with kindness kind of person.
Nta. But she is. Talk about petty.
NTA. It’s your charger. If she’s not responsible with her phone’s charge then she needs to buy her own charger. Or any of the coworkers she’s whined to can offer their. You can’t be the only person around with a charger. If you truly were petty, you would have reported her to HR for theft of your charger.
NTA
Keep it in your bag when you’re not using it. If she asks to borrow it, thank her for reminding you to charge your phone.
She can spend the 20 bucks on her own charger
What happened to her charger? She can use her cable to plug into her pc’s USB port.
She has options. Get her own portable charger.
I have many chargers from my old phones. What gives?
Leave your portable charger (hide it) in your purse.
NTA – she can buy her own charger
Curious?
If OP is writing about a battery to charge their phone, how exactly are they recharging that battery pack?
NTA, entitled people will always gaslight you to make you feel bad for their actions.
Nope. It’s yours. She’s acting like a teenager when corrected. Let others know the situation and it will get around about who’s acting entitled. She’s working too and capable of supplying herself with her own charger. Not your worry. Just keep working and letting others know you let her once and she took advantage of the offer.
NTA
Except…. don’t say “I hope that’s ok”. It doesn’t matter if it’s ok…. it’s yours….
Put your charger away where she can’t access it. She lost her privileges.
NTA – asking to use your charger once because her phone was dying unexpectedly, normal. Using it constantly means she’s too cheap to buy her own. She can go get a cheap one for $20 that should suit her needs. You’re her coworker, not her mommy. You shouldn’t have to do her adulting for her.
if she can afford a phone she can afford to keep it charged on her own
she isn’t your wife, daughter, or mother. fuck her
AI
NTA
It’s not a communal charger. It’s your charger, for your desk and you agreed to let her use it once.
That isn’t free reign to touch your stuff.
NTA at all. She is breaking all the office etiquette.
I often have two chargers at my desk as well (cable and contactless) but people will always ask to borrow them every time and i always remind them to return it when finished. Now i always leave my chargers in my desk drawers (things go missing in our iffice) so no one has an excuse for raking them without breaking a second office rule of looking through someones desk. Yet other staff leave their chargers out or plugged in all the time but people still ask every time to use them.
Now is your one young or just entitled or both.
Passive response. “Can I borrow your charger?”, checks phone, “Sorry, looks like I need it now, battery low.”.
Just go to her desk and start using her stationary.
If she complains, say you didn’t think it was a big deal.
WTF is wrong with people these days. NTA! she needs to get her own charger/power bank
Maybe I’m being dense or something. Can sje not just plug in to the wall near her desk? Can you not? Or use the computer as a charging port. Working at a desk I presume you have a computer there…
I’m not an office guy, so maybe there’s something g here that I just don’t get
NTA. If she needs it that frequently she can buy one.
NTA.
When you say charger, I am assuming you mean one of those portable batteries rather than just a cord that plugs into a wall socket.
NTA she is being ridiculous. She can buy her own phone charger. I would keep yours hidden away until you need it, because she has no respect for anyone’s belongings.
Wow she’s a child, and a mean one also! Let people play reindeer games. You have your own stuff to do. The biggest mistake I ever made was listening to people’s opinions of me, when I knew the truth.
Pass a hat around, say you’re collecting money to buy “Jenna” a new phone charger.
“Your phone is your responsibility, not mine. If your phone dies, it’s not my problem.”
Using it for one day or every now and then is one thing, but if you need it daily then just bring in your own cord to plug into the computer or your own charger. That is completely obnoxious. I would start telling people something back about her if shes telling people you are stingy.
NTA.in reality SHES greedy. She needs to buy her own shit.
She needs to get her own phone charger if she is needing it daily. You were much nicer than I would have been about it. I’ve had to ask a coworker to plug my phone up on their charger. And guess what? I went out and bought my own to keep at my own desk. I had never needed one before but I was moved to the other side of the building and I realized my battery was draining so much quicker because of searching for a signal. I didn’t get the best signal over there. I never would have just started plugging my phone in daily or taking it to my desk.
NTA. A portable power bank is like $20USD. Jenna has a job, she can buy her own.
Do you mean a power bank?
You are being so cringing and servile “hope that’s okay” to use YOUR OWN PIECE OF EQUIPMENT???
You’re gonna run into a lot of Jenna’s in your life if you don’t get some self esteem and reject the doormat lifestyle.
Question
Why the hell are you all using portable battery chargers?
Can you not plug into a power outlet like a normal charger? Or plug into your computer?
What’s the deal and why can nobody in your office use company power to charge their phones?
“Stingy”? Check
“People are acting distant”? Check
“Asking if you’re the asshole when an amoeba knows you’re not”? Check
Even if I grade on a curve, this is just a half assed attempt at trolling for karma.
You neglected to include “people blowing up your phone” and being accused of “not being a team player”.
YTA