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Original poster

Should the person who earns more pay more for joint holiday friends not partners

482 replies

Libbykitty · 04/01/2026 17:36

Just that really.

2 friends going on holiday, should the person who earns more pay more say 75 ler cent of holiday cost, neither person wealthy, but one is part time and the other is full time so earns more.

Welcome thoughts as I am unsure.

OP posts:
LucyClayton · 05/01/2026 18:17

Libbykitty · 04/01/2026 17:36

Just that really.

2 friends going on holiday, should the person who earns more pay more say 75 ler cent of holiday cost, neither person wealthy, but one is part time and the other is full time so earns more.

Welcome thoughts as I am unsure.

No why should they just because they earn more. Not their fault that the other preson works part time. But if the higher earner knows the other one don't earn that much for reasons they can't work longer. And the high earner asked them to go away with them knowing they couldn't afford it. Then maybe help them out a wee bit towards the holiday.

MaybeNotNo · 05/01/2026 18:17

Libbykitty · 04/01/2026 18:24

Actually yes that is very true, I hadn't thought of that

Show quote history

Why does the part timer work part time?

Is it the fault of the full timer?

Mustreadabook · 05/01/2026 18:17

No, not unless the one who earns more really wants to go on a holiday that they can afford but the friend can not, and is willing to pay more to have a companion because they don't like holidaying alone. In that case they could do something like pay for all the accommodation because that is where they really really want to go, then invite the friend to come and join them and friend just needs flights and spends.

FlockofSquirrels · 05/01/2026 18:14

No, but the budget needs to be set based on what both people can afford.

And it's fine for the higher earner to choose to pay more. I'm happy doing that for good friends, especially if the alternative is not having that time/experience together. I wouldn't appreciate that being the expectation or taken for granted.

Notthisagaiin · 05/01/2026 18:13

Definitely not - when I read the Op I was thinking wow this sounds absurd, why anyone would even suggest or consider this?

Then I realised I have been in a somewhat similar situation. So for for years I (stupidly) picked up the tab for every single dinner/coffee as my friend worked only 18 hours a week. Even when her kids were there I’d pay for them all.

I would never do that again -working so few hours was a lifestyle choice for her, so she could still receive various benefits.

She still works part time even now her kids are 13+ and that’s up to her, but I shouldn’t have to pay for it.

I had started to ignore when the bill comes out and she would look at me like a lost puppy. I’d say clearly to the food server that we were splitting it. Probably why I don’t see her much now lol

Moii · 05/01/2026 18:11

No 50/50

Daisyhon · 05/01/2026 18:10

only if the other person has won the lottery , otherwise that’s absolutely ridiculous. Both parties should pay their own way equally x

Buffs · 05/01/2026 18:10

No.

Nyata · 05/01/2026 18:08

Nope

Partypants83 · 05/01/2026 18:08

No!

NorseHorse123 · 05/01/2026 18:05

This is a joke surely?! Based on that logic, should I quit my job expect that everything everywhere should be free for me?

McTing · 05/01/2026 18:05

Libbykitty · 04/01/2026 17:36

Just that really.

2 friends going on holiday, should the person who earns more pay more say 75 ler cent of holiday cost, neither person wealthy, but one is part time and the other is full time so earns more.

Welcome thoughts as I am unsure.

Not a chance. I go on holiday with a group of friends and we all have different income levels. We all.pay the exact same.

Runnermumof2 · 05/01/2026 18:03

Absolutely not. Why is this even a thing ?

therealduchess · 05/01/2026 18:02

Of course not!

FrecklyFrog · 05/01/2026 18:01

Nope, not at all. The holiday should be planned to be affordable to the less well off person though.

Jorge14 · 05/01/2026 18:00

Absolutely no!

Timefortea87 · 05/01/2026 17:57

In one word, no.

Though in more words, I’d never expect someone who earns more than me to pay more for a holiday we have both jointly decided to go on. It’s not the higher earners place to have to pay more.

Littlepiggietoes · 05/01/2026 17:53

For me it would depend on a few factors. I earn more than my friend. If we were going on a holiday I wanted to go on, or that was more than she could afford, I would pay more. If she said, I’ve got X amount, let’s go on holiday, and I found one that cost slightly more, I would pay the difference. If she said, I’ve found this holiday, it’s 2k, you pay 1500 and I’ll pay 500 because you earn more, then no.
I’ve booked us tickets to a concert later this year, we both wanted to go but she couldn’t afford it. So I’ve just paid for them, because I can afford to and because if I didn’t then neither of us would go, and I want to go. She would do the same for me.

dcthatsme · 05/01/2026 17:52

No way

Chainy · 05/01/2026 17:50

The only time this would be ok to split unevenly is if the higher earner wanted a better holiday and the lower earner couldn’t afford half. The higher earner could offer to pay more but accept it if the lower earner wasn’t comfortable with the inequality

LoveLifeBeHappy · 05/01/2026 17:46

Libbykitty · 04/01/2026 17:36

Just that really.

2 friends going on holiday, should the person who earns more pay more say 75 ler cent of holiday cost, neither person wealthy, but one is part time and the other is full time so earns more.

Welcome thoughts as I am unsure.

Hell no!

SexyFrenchDepression · 05/01/2026 16:35

RippleTV · 05/01/2026 16:06

I actually have a similar situation currently.

There's somewhere I'd really like to go. Friend expressed and interest, but has got less interested since finding out the cost.

I could (and probably will) go on my own, but it has occurred to me offer to cover the full cost of accomodation becuase it's basically the same whether I go alone or with a companion.

I don't really know what the "right" thing to do is. Would accepting make friend a CF?

I think it is fine in this instance. If i was considering going on my own anyway I would offer for friend to just pay the difference and obviously they would have to pay any other costs they incur. If you would prefer to go alone its different. Its only cheeky if the friend expects it or asks you to pay.

If we take one of the DCs friends away with us we only ever ask for them to pay the difference (if its material) plus their spending

Skybluepinky · 05/01/2026 16:11

No

RippleTV · 05/01/2026 16:06

I actually have a similar situation currently.

There's somewhere I'd really like to go. Friend expressed and interest, but has got less interested since finding out the cost.

I could (and probably will) go on my own, but it has occurred to me offer to cover the full cost of accomodation becuase it's basically the same whether I go alone or with a companion.

I don't really know what the "right" thing to do is. Would accepting make friend a CF?

GarlicSound · 05/01/2026 16:04

DonnaBanana · 05/01/2026 15:41

If two friends decide to buy a house would it be reasonable for the higher earner to pay more of the mortgage? No.

Not that this has much similarity to a holiday, but ... yes, and it happens quite often. Usually, the higher payer holds a bigger slice of the equity. Sometimes it's because the lower payer put down a large deposit.

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