'AITA for cancelling a trip because my friend expected me to pay half of her share?'
'AITA for cancelling a trip because my friend expected me to pay half of her share?'
I recently got a part-time job, and while it is not a lot of money, it does give me some financial independence. A few weeks ago, my friend invited me on a weekend trip with a small group.
Everything was fine until she mentioned that she could not afford her part of the expenses and hinted that I should cover half of her costs. She said something like, “You are rich now, you can pay for me.”
I was really taken aback. I do not consider myself rich at all. I work hard for what I earn, and while I like helping friends when I can, paying for half of someone else’s trip feels unreasonable, especially when I barely have enough to cover my own share and save a little. I tried explaining this to her, but she seemed offended and insisted that I should help her out.
After thinking about it, I decided to cancel my participation in the trip. I felt uncomfortable being put in a position where I would have to cover someone else’s expenses just because I have a job. I also realized that joining the trip under those conditions would probably create tension and resentment, which I did not want.
I let her know that I would not be able to go, and she reacted angrily, saying I was overreacting and that I should “just help a friend.” I honestly feel like I made the right choice for my own boundaries, but part of me wonders if I am overreacting or making too big a deal out of it. Am I the jerk for choosing not to go because she expected me to pay for her?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Gullible-Ad-8884 says:
I think you should also cancel the friendship.
OP responded:
I’ve been considering that. It feels like a lot of red flags have come up.
HealthyByte says:
NTA. She sounds very entitled to your money instead of looking for her own job. Big red flag as far as friendships.
OP responded:
Yeah, I felt like it crossed a line. Friends should support each other, not expect handouts.
What do you think?