DEAR ABBY: I went out to eat at a fancy Manhattan restaurant with some of my siblings. One of them over-ordered and ran up a huge bill. When it came time to pay, he said, “Let’s charge it to Daddy’s credit card.” Our father is well-off and probably would have been OK with it, but I objected on principle.

We ended up splitting the bill, which irritated me since my wife and I ordered much less. I can’t talk to them about it because they’ll accuse me of being cheap. What should I have done and what should I do in the future when it crops up, because it will? — MONEY-CONSCIOUS IN NEW YORK

DEAR M-C: The next time you go to a fancy restaurant with your siblings, before the order is taken, tell the server you would like separate checks.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.