Before I post this I would like to acknowledge that I know this was my own fault, I should have sensed what was coming and I should have spoken up sooner. I would also like to make it clear that I have since grown a spine and am nowhere near as trusting/naive 
Also, apologies it is long but I think I should get it off my chest. That said…
I was friends with a girl I’d met while we were both late teens. At first we only saw each other once or twice a year (lived about 90 mins away from each other, neither drove) but then a lot more often. Now, we grew up under very difference circumstances. She never had, and as far as I know never has, worked. Her parents subsidised her lifestyle in between finances. She was very much a pampered bubble dweller with no real experience of the real world, knowledge of how other people live, bills, budgets etc. However, we always had a laugh together and I considered her a good friend and money was never an issue. She began blogging, enjoyed it, went to events and shared her “glamorous lifestyle” with everyone.
She decided then to host an event of her own for other bloggers to meet up. She asked if I would come and would I help organise etc. I of course said yes. This involved going to hers (90 min trip of bus and taxi €35) making up all the gift bags as she sat on her phone, doing all the lifting carrying boxes to the taxis I paid for to the bus(€15), then from there to the venue (€15). Yes I was an idiot and should have realised I was there as a dogsbody. I had cash and she said “oh I’ll def get you back later! I’m too stressed to think about these things now”.
Arrive at venue. Set up everything along with another poor soul she’d dragged in. Did a Tesco run for last minute bits needed including her smokes (€63). I of course am not allowed at the main event but am waiting in this other room in case anyone turns up at the wrong time.
Now, this venue was a bar/restaurant where obviously for a large group they take a credit card at booking. We discover when it’s time to pay the bill (everyone was paying for their own) that 1 table have already left. Now, the options were a) they were chancers who dine and dashed b) they genuinely thought it was all paid for and left c) that they paid at a different till on their way out. Venue said they wouldn’t be able to tell until they cashed up the till on Mon morning (this was Sat afternoon) but they would have to charge for them. Suggested that cash was gathered from all there so there wouldn’t be any more confusion and that the full amount for everyone was put on the card used at booking. (You can see where this is going can’t you?). Friend begins to panic. It’s her mothers credit card number she gave them, she doesn’t have the code for it and her Mother was away at the time so couldn’t get in touch to ask her. Because we were getting this all sorted on Monday I (LIKE AN IDIOT) let them use my card. Cash is gathered by friend for everyone elses meal/drinks. I don’t see any of this as I am with the staff sorting bills. So full amount goes on my card (€270.48). I also get her a taxi to her bus.
Monday: Restaurant calls me, very sorry, till fine on their end so these people did leave without paying so no refund for their amount. When they said “their amount” my brain kicked in and I realised I’d paid for more than them and that I never got the cash collected. Also, since people had heard about the ones who left without paying someone had started a collection so “friend” wouldn’t be out of pocket paying for them. She did a simpering “how kind” post thanking those who contributed (more than covering the cost of event). I (again, like an idiot) assumed I would get this next time I saw her. Nope, next time there was a crisis, then due to start a job, would pay me then.I thought she would be humiliated if I kept bringing it up so I left it to her.
Did I get paid back for any of it? Did I feck. 
So I paid €413 to host an event that was nothing to do with me and didn’t even get a thank you. The reason I know the exact amount btw is I kept the receipts so I wouldn’t accidently take too much from her. 
If anyone got through this thank you, I feel a lot better now I've finally told someone .