'AITA for not including my friends that didn’t pitch in for a birthday gift? They're mad.'
"AITA for not including my friends that didn’t pitch in for a bday gift?"
I swiped my credit card on a $700 birthday gift and asked 5 friends to each pitch in $100 and I’ll cover the rest. I gave them 30 days (due 2 weeks before the bday) to get the money together, they all agreed.
EDIT: We agreed on pitching in BEFORE I bought it.
Two told me they couldn’t pay me on time but would pay me before the birthday. I told them if you don’t I’ll have to cover the difference and say you it was from me and the other friends.
Come the day of the Birthday; both didn’t pay. I said out of good faith can you at least give me a portion; they both said they couldn’t. This meant I am covering $400 of the $700 of the gift. I wrote on the gift package From Me, Friend 1, Friend 2, Friend 3.
The other two were upset because I didn’t put their name on it. But they said they would’ve paid me back after the birthday. I told them that's BS because you were blowing off money on dumb stuff (booze, Pokemon cards, grass, etc) all month when you could’ve paid me back. AITA here?
The internet had a lot of comments and questions to add.
Wabbit-127 wrote:
NTA. You will never get the $ back. Smart move. Next time just give a gift by yourself and spend what you want.
OP responded:
Ya it sucks to be out $400 but this friend has been there for me in really bad times. Not concerned about the money, just the main reason for the post.
Usrname52 wrote:
Did they all agree to this before you "swiped your card"?
Who are you buying a birthday gift for that's $700? Did you all have a sit down and agree to this BEFORE you paid for it? Or you just presented it to everyone that this is what you are doing?
MidtownMoi wrote:
Why are you spending $700 on a birthday present? That’s what I’d want to know before I passed judgement here.
OP responded:
$700 between 6 close friends for over 10 years, we are in our 30’s and all have jobs.
We got him a prebuilt gaming PC.
SomeoneYouDontKnow70 wrote:
NTA. If they want credit for the gift, they need to pitch in. If they can't afford to go in on a $700 gift, then they should buy a gift that they can afford and gift that instead. That having been said, $700 for a birthday gift is insane.
TeachBS wrote:
Nope. They are TAH. Happened to me a couple of times before I started collecting UP FRONT.
OP responded:
That might be what has to be done in the future. I usually wait on a deal and then swipe but I’m not really getting a “deal” if they fall through.
Montanapat89 wrote:
NTA, OP. In the future, get the money before purchasing. It would have saved you some $. Also, make it clear if you don't have the $ by whatever date, their name is not going on the card. Good on you for not adding their names. They need to step up and either pay or say they can't afford it at the time the gift is suggested.
Alicat777777 wrote:
I have never had a $700 gift from friends. It’s not even typical for $100. Don’t get elaborate gifts unless they pay BEFORE! Have them Venmo or cash app you the money ahead. This is exactly what I would expect to happen.
They are covered so now they will pay you whenever or not ever. NTA for not putting their name but be smarter next time. Let them buy their own gift, even. Clearly they weren’t going to spend that much.
1962Michael wrote:
NTA. Especially since they clearly had disposable income, they chose not to pay you back and hoped to get credit for the gift and then continue to avoid paying you back. They deserve to be publicly named and shamed. Not including their name on the card is the bare minimum you should have done.
TheGoodJeans wrote:
NTA. If they got money to play, they got money to pay. They are simply living with the consequences of their actions. At this point, it's not even about trust or money. It's about respect. If they are spending money on Pokemon cards and such, then they didn't respect the fact that they owed you money.
Frosty-Succotash-931 wrote:
NTA.
I need to know who this gift was purchased for and what it was though.
OP responded:
Prebuilt 4060 desktop. He’s coming from a PS4.