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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to pay £50 for a load of old tat that's been foisted on me?

234 replies

CarrieBradshawsCloset · 17/04/2014 00:36

We get on well with our next door neighbours. We often get together for wine/a takeaway, and the DCs get on well too. We do them quite a lot of favours, such as looking after their pets when they go on holiday, and DH is an electrician so has done a few electrical jobs for them for free. I am a beauty therapist and sometimes wax the woman's eyebrows or paint her nails if she's having a night out, and I never charge her. It's never occurred to me to charge her in all honesty.

She has a DD who is two years older than my DD, and has been saying for a while that she has a big bag of clothes for my DD. My DD has enough clothes and she doesn't need anymore (not bragging, just giving background info), however I said, out of politeness more than anything "thank you, that would be nice".

So anyway, I got back from town today to find a big bag full of clothes on the doorstep. Nothing special, just Tesco, Primark, Asda stuff, that kind of thing, and not in brilliant condition, but useable as play wear. I sent my neighbour a text to say thank you and she sent me a text back saying "£50 will be fine for them all, there's at least £100 worth of stuff there so it's a bargain. Can I have it ASAP please Hon?"

I am genuinely gobsmacked! Firstly that she expects payment in the first place. Secondly because she's essentially foisted the items on me, I didn't ask for them, and thirdly because it's not like it's in good condition, it's old, faded supermarket clothes that are pretty cheap to buy new anyway.

WIBU to pop them next door in the morning and say that we're a bit skint at the moment and I didn't realise she wanted money for them, so she'd probably be better off selling them at a boot sale?

OP posts:
Walkacrossthesand · 18/04/2014 08:14

Oh Carrie, please don't 'think twice before doing her any favours' - decide now, straight away, that you are never doing her nails/eyebrows free again! Your DH has declared that he won't do electrical jobs; align yourself beside him, and simply use one of the lines offered up thread (I liked the one about 'DH & I realising that we were doing too much work free for friends so we'll have to start charging - I know you'll understand, after all you wanted me to give you money for the used clothes didn't you.,,'

Do come back and tell us how she reacts when you do this - I suspect she won't like being on the receiving end of her own approach!

LoveBeingCantThinkOfAName · 18/04/2014 08:17

Well done op

diddl · 18/04/2014 08:19

If you do decide to still do stuff-for money of course, get the money first!!

emms1981 · 18/04/2014 17:21

One of our local facebook pages once had a bloke saying does anyone have any free or cheap baby things please for my daughter. I need cot, Moses basket, clothes milk etc, I said I don't mean to be nosey but why free? And he said I've had a tough year needed a new car,moved house and got married ! Having a laugh !

Aventurine · 18/04/2014 22:36

Bit worrying if someone has spent so much they can't afford baby milk (if not bfing) Hopefully he was just taking the mick

emms1981 · 19/04/2014 13:55

One of our local facebook pages once had a bloke saying does anyone have any free or cheap baby things please for my daughter. I need cot, Moses basket, clothes milk etc, I said I don't mean to be nosey but why free? And he said I've had a tough year needed a new car,moved house and got married ! Having a laugh !

insancerre · 19/04/2014 14:20

op next time she asks you to do her eyebrows just do he one
I guarantee it will e the last time she ever asks you for a favourGrin

OnlyLovers · 20/04/2014 13:20

Nice one, OP! Sounds like your friendship might just last as well (if you want it to, of course).

listsandbudgets · 20/04/2014 21:37

Well done OP.

I thought of you this morning when a friend popped round with some clothes her DD had outgrown. She said "go through this lot and take anything you want then will you do me a favour and take the rest to a charity shop or pass it on, thanks". DD now happy owner of 2 boden dresses, a monsoon skirt and some lovely Sainsburys tops. Charity shop going to benefit from the rest as they were a size too small.

Everyone happy :)

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