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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think my mate has forgotten where she comes from?

84 replies

Kahulatime · 04/03/2017 17:05

Well not really where she comes from but where we still are?

Background, a group of us, 5, have been mates since school, now late thirties. We are all very close and regularly socialise together, nights out, weekends away, tea at each others houses. Financially we are all on the same level. Over the years all of us have been on benefits for short periods of time, worked, been unemployed, been SAHM and WOHM. Currently we are all 'comfortable' by that I mean bills are paid and theres a small amount left over for spends.

One of us, i'll call her Jane, came into an awful lot of money 4 years ago. Like lottery type money (she didn't win the lottery but the number is in the millions). A lot changed for her, she moved out of the area, quit working etc etc. But we all stayed mates, we still did the same things we've always done, she was still Jane but with a fuck load of money Grin

Roll on a few years and Jane seems to start forgetting that whilst she now doesn't have to worry about money, we still do. So she suggests to go away on longer holidays, different places we would usually go, weekends at more up market spas etc. Mostly we explained that we couldn't do that and she was fine with it.

More recently though she seems to be forgetting/sulking that we can't do it. So lots of 'god its not that much money' 'cant you just save' 'what about if we book it early then you have longer to save up'. We've explained over and over that it doesn't matter how long we've got, you can't turn centre parcs money into Ritz money Grin

But she seems to be pretending or genuinely has forgotten what its like to struggle for money. For example tonight we are going out for drinks as we do on a monthly basis. Mate 1 mentioned on group chat she didn't have much cash so wouldn't be out late/would be getting the bus in. Jane has text to say 'surprise girls, managed to get a table at x for cocktails, meet you all there at 8'. X is a cocktail bar/resturarant that we would usually go to for a big once a year celebration as its bloody expensive £14 cocktails and upwards. Mate 1 replied on group chat saying are you having a laugh I can't afford that, Jane said 'ofgs its not that much, come on it will be a laugh i'm bored of y place'

Its the constant requests to do stuff that she knows we can't afford. I get that shes , by her own admission, bored. But we still need to work and look after the kids and parents and pets etc. Its getting hard to know what to say other than 'you've completely forgotten where you come from pull your head out'!

Mate 1 has text me privately asking if she can borrow and extra £20, which is fine we all lend each other money occasionally, but she feels like crap about it.

OP posts:
Dumdedumdedum · 04/03/2017 19:44

Huge apologies, Astoria7974, I completely misunderstood the tone and meaning of your post.

user123346 · 04/03/2017 19:59

Jane needs to make more of an effort to find some rich friends in the area she is living. And then with you and her old circle, go to each other's houses for a cooked meal or pizza night. That way it's both of best worlds for her.

Userone1 · 04/03/2017 21:41

I'm just loling at 'jane' it's reminding me of Peter and Jane books!

Jane won loads of money. Jane did not want to play with us. We told Jane no. Peter told Jane no....Grin

Userone1 · 04/03/2017 21:43

Jane needs to make more of an effort. Peter says Jane needs to make more of an effort. Oh I amuse myself!

DrinkFeckArseGirls · 04/03/2017 21:51

I don't understand the issue with telling her straight. Politely but straight. I/ my friends from different groups and walks of life would just say, sorry it's too expensive Confused

Alice212 · 04/03/2017 21:56

Drink, exactly. And Alice sees Jane has not responded to subtle hints - hence Alice said upthread "tell Jane to get her head out of her arse".

ssd · 04/03/2017 22:07

I dont get the issue either, with real friends you could talk about these things, seems to be you sound more like acquaintances

Userone1 · 04/03/2017 22:07

Sniggers 'Jane'! Lol

MrsPeelyWaly · 05/03/2017 02:29

MrsPeely it's not really catch 22 though is it?

Yes, you're correct. But its still be a bit of a minefield when it comes to one persons circumstances changing. So they all stick to where they've gone for years and people say - you'd think she'd pay for them to go somewhere a bit a fancier than this. And if they do go somewhere fancier and the Jane picks up the bill you'll get people saying oh look at her rubbing her friends noses in it and look at them sponging off their friend.

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