Housewarming gift price range?

[NoCanoe]

I originally offered to buy a gift once my friends were settled and knew what they wanted. There had been talk of wanting to replace dinner plates, bed linen , towels etc.

They now have said they will forgo the non essential items in favour of something more practical.

That's fine. But because I never stipulated a budget at the time when it was a general idea, Im now being presented with an invoice far greater than anticipated.

Im just wondering if Im out of touch with price range these days, or am I being taken advantage of?

Id like some idea of what you'd consider normal price range before I say how much I am actually being asked for.

I do feel I have no option but to honour the commitment. But I'm a bit miffed.

Too right, Pal! At least Ma Baker pulled out a gun and told people she was robbing them.

FUCK even responding to these rip off merchants.

I think reading all her posts, the OP is not someone who likes to confront.
Just because it says sorry, does not mean the OP is , it is just a polite way to phrase it..

@NoCanoe Do you still want to remain friends with these people? That will affect what you do.

If yes then just let them have a token sum

if no then just tell them where to go

Honestly they are ripping the utter piss. I'd reply "Look, this housewarming present was in place of a Christmas present. Since when have you ever bought me a 350 Xmas present? I'm utterly shocked and baffled at this and for that reason I'm withdrawing my offer to get a housewarming gift. If YOU can't afford 550 for your own curtains for your house, why would you ever think I could. Madness.

The thing is, any sort of pleasure you might have felt in giving them a housewarming gift is gone now, after this blatant show of highway robbery cheeky-fuckery, so actually, what is the point? Your friendship is, I would say, damaged irreparably, so why not pull out completely. This is THEIR doing, not yours.

Oh my fucking god. Actally cannot believe their cheek! Don't give them anything now, tell them it bloody do one!

Sod that, they wouldn't be getting a penny from me!!

Have you ever spent this kind of money on them before OP? I can't get my head round why someone would think £550 would be a suitable amount for a gift!!

OP. They are vile and I suspect as one other poster said there are no curtains. I did think it odd to send you a copy of I now presume a fake invoice. Even their sign off “your desperate grateful friend” is cringeworthy and assumes you will pay up. You need to act now. Either tell them as another poster suggested you have unforeseen financial costs so won’t be able to pay £350 and even if you could you would not gift that amount only a small amount 10 or 15 pounds max. Oh dear what a shame she got carried away indeed “her bad”. I would add that this greed is ugly and unattractive and her actions have made you decide to distance yourself from this friendship. Suggest they cancel the curtains Personally I wouldn’t give anything and that you are sure they understand. Block them!!!

I have just rtft but what the actual fuck.
Don’t draw this out any longer, you were given a good reply to send which firmly told them no but instead you sent a wishy washy reply and now they think they can barter with you. End this once and for all and tell them you will not be paying anything towards their curtains.

Oh come off it! No one would behave like that. Bartering the amount. You were still being overly generous with £100. You just say £100 is all you have budgeted take it or leave it. If they keep pushing it you just ignore.

😯 oh they are right cheeky fuckers. They should be mortified when you called them out on the £550 but to know ask for £350.

I'd be so tempted to not send them a penny. Just say absolutely not your offer is already very generous, you feel they are taking advantage and you don't want to fall out about a pair of curtains.

Please don't send them any money until you see how this pans out though, as it may get nasty and you'll wish you hadn't sent any money.

I'm struggling to believe this is real. They asked you for 350?

Just respond op and say I'm sorry you got carried away and are in a difficult position but I can only contribute 100, this already is a huge budget for a house warming gift.

In reality yiu should though just send a text back saying " im So saddened by your greed and grabbiness and appalling treatment of me. Don't ever contact me again"

Really op, if this is real. They are just trying to scam you for money.

Oh, it's definitely real, Bluntness! I've seen it happen before. The grifters strike up a friendship with someone like the OP and over time, manipulate them for money, usually small amounts at a time. My mate has paid out over £1000 to one women over about 5 years, she was a scamming arsehole with a story. This lady is so kind, one time I'd posted about our wanting to adopt a cat from the RSPCA and she just sent me a £75 cheque to cover the fees. I told her thanks but there was no way we were taking her money. She's just very kind-hearted and loves cat.

Your desperate grateful friend....

desperate? Desperate is a kidney for a failing relative, or a flight out of a very bad place, or the bailiffs are taking the cot. Curtains do not come under ‘desperate’.

Are you sure they’re not drug addicts or whatever?

This is now laughable. If they can’t afford the curtains they will have to cancel the order and lose their deposit.

Seriously OP just ignore them. And do not even read anything else sent from these spongers.

Im having a hard time wrapping my head around this myself, so totally understand why people are thinking....wtf? Is this real?

Im having similar thoughts myself.

Ive been generous before and its added up, but never such a large lump sum.

As I mentioned there was another incident that at time I put down to crossed wires or a misunderstanding, but now Im not so sure. That cost me about 350.

I hope you haven't given them any money OP?

I've not replied yet. Im really not in the right frame of mind at the moment.

Jesus OP so sorry you've been taken for a ride by these people. I wouldn't transfer a penny as I doubt you'll want to be friends after this and you may as well be £100 up. Hope you find some friends who deserve you, you sound absolutely lovely. Have they tried to pull shit like this in the past or with other people?

No money sent at all!
I can promise you that UCO

Op, not a penny more than 100, please don't let them use you like this. Really, yiu don't need to buy friends and these people are not friends.

Really you should end the relarionship but if you can't, and you feel you must, then just give them 100, not a penny more. Please have some self respect.

NO MONEY! BRAVE TO YOU, No! The end of being scammed by grifters who don't value you at all. Pair of sheisters!

You've had something of an epiphany this weekend NoCanoe. There are no crossed wires, or misunderstandings; they have taken you for a mug, and the realisation isn't nice. I think you need to spend some of the money you'd earmarked for the housewarming gift on a nice treat for you.

I would urge you not to give £100 or anything at all.

Jump forward to your next meeting. Do you think you will all sit around laughing over a bottle of wine? Or will you try your hardest to avoid meeting them in the knowledge they tried to take advantage of your good nature? I suspect you won’t meet them again. So why would you kiss goodbye to money for people you will never see again.

If it makes you feel better, donate £50 or £100 to charity in their name. If you are feeling particularly wicked you could forward them the acknowledgment you receive from the charity. 😀