My elderly aunt spent her children’s money on 2,700 lottery tickets

This past weekend, I returned to my hometown and heard from my cousin that my elderly aunt had become the subject of everyone's gossip due to her habit of buying lottery tickets. Every month, her four children, who live and work far away, send her a total of VND12 million, in addition to covering her farmland rent and other minor expenses.

Yet, despite the money her children send, her family is always struggling financially because she spends most of it on the lottery.

Ever since I was a child, my aunt has been known for her obsession with lottery tickets. She buys them every day. Last year, one of her children calculated that she spent as much as VND27 million to buy 2,700 tickets.

The result? Although she won a few small prizes, she only managed to get about VND10 million back, leaving her with a net loss of VND17 million.

People often say that buying lottery tickets is "investing in a dream," but for my aunt, that dream has turned into an addiction.

I asked her about it, and she told me that buying lottery tickets brings her joy, especially when she checks the results every afternoon. It is also a way to connect with the vendors.
But her children do not see it the same way. They send money home so she can live comfortably, but instead, that money goes straight into lottery tickets. Every time they remind her to cut back, she promises to do so—but this habit has become so ingrained that it is hard to change.

When I visited her house, I saw that she had a huge bag, which is often used to store rice, filled with those tickets. Winning VND10 million was a stroke of luck as there were months when she spent even more than that on lottery tickets, buying dozens every day, but hardly won anything.

Many people buy lottery tickets hoping to change their lives, but how many actually consider the incredibly low odds of winning? In reality, it is nearly impossible to profit from buying them.

My aunt’s story highlights a bigger issue: when does a harmless hobby turn into an addiction?

In my hometown, there are many elderly people like her who live off their children’s money, yet spend it all on games of chance. While no one dares to criticize them directly, the disappointment in their children’s eyes is evident.

My aunt may not be the only one, nor the most extreme case, but her story serves as a reminder that we need to think more about managing personal finances, especially in families with stable incomes but out-of-control spending.

Perhaps, instead of hoping for luck, the real lesson is to appreciate what we have and find joy in more sustainable things.

A single lottery ticket might bring a moment of happiness, but buying thousands will only lead to regret and wasted money.

But how can we change the mindset of people who are so set in their ways?

*This opinion was translated into English with the assistance of AI.Readers’ views are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress’ viewpoints.