Money is really tight at the moment as I have no job and don't know how long it's going to take me to get one (been looking for ages). Good friend of mine had organised a night out last night to celebrate a big birthday for a mutual friend - drinks & nibbles at her house followed by a meal at a restaurant. I told her I would come to hers for drinks (and brought a bottle of wine so wasn't just scrounging for a freebie) but couldn't afford the meal out. I was fine with this & didn't make a big deal of it (no poor me, you all get to go etc..). At the last minute she texts me to say someone had pulled out of the meal, as they'd had to put down a deposit the meal would be wasted, I should come, it wouldn't cost me anything and no one else had to know. I told her I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing everyone else had paid but she said, "don't worry it's all sorted, you're coming." So I went along, we had a lovely night adn I didn't want to make her feel bad by insisting she take some money from me last night.
But today I still feel a bit bad about it. Even if there was a deposit paid in advance, I'm sure my friend still had to pay for my meal in the end. She is a very good, generous friend and she knows I would do the same for her if the situation were reversed. But I'd like to offer her something, even if I can't afford the full price of the meal. Will that just make her feel bad though? Should I just leave it and know that I will do something nice for her once my finances are sorted?