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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to offer friend big chunk of money?

530 replies

Marven · 20/04/2024 20:34

Difficult one... I've just come into some money. I already own my house, have two kids and a bit of savings. Mine and my partners families are reasonably well off, and so I know the kids will also be thought of by their grandparents.
This lump of money will give me some to upgrade the house and some to put away for the future.

I'm thinking of giving like £50-80k to my friend... How do I handle that and would you be offended if your friend tried to give you money?

My friend - we used to be close at uni, but live far apart now and life and family get in the way, but still keep in touch and see each other every few years. Last time I saw her she'd had to move rented accomodation again and was saying how shs didn't know if she'd ever be able to buy. Her family is not well off and they'd promised her some money for a deposit, but had then gone and given it all to her brother with nothing left for her! She works hard, travels a fair bit, but she just hasn't had the really fortunate start that I have in life.

If I gave her the money, I would have no expectation about what she did with it, although her talking about buying a house was what sparked this idea for me. I honestly wouldn't care. She's had a tough life and she deserves whatever she wants and however she wants to live her life. I just think that this £50-80k would make a much bigger difference to her life than to mine.

We don't live in the same area - she's up north so I'm hoping that money could be a useful deposit?

How would you broach it, or would you just be totally offended by it?

OP posts:
53103min · 20/04/2024 20:40

It will be the end of your friendship, I fear, whether she accepts or not.

Why not invest it for your children?

IncompleteSenten · 20/04/2024 20:40

That is so lovely of you.

Maybe tell her you won some on the lottery and want to spread your good fortune about.

Timeforabiscuit · 20/04/2024 20:40

Is there anyway you could gift this anonymously through a solicitor as a gift?

It's a large sum of money, and the dynamics it can throw up might be unpredictable for your friendship.

patchworkpal · 20/04/2024 20:39

I wouldn't do that I really wouldn't.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 20/04/2024 20:37

It's a very nice thought BUT involving money in friendships can lead to toxic dynamics.

I would tread carefully.

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