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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

About booze providing?

63 replies

Whosbooze · 04/08/2021 23:29

Background-I live a good hour away from my best friend and his girlfriend. I've been close friends with him for over a decade and known her for as long, but they've been together about 3 years. We're all close now and get on great.

He earns more than three times as much as me (relevant to a point?) And his girlfriend gave me a load of clothes recently for which she would not accept money. They don't live together-and she is younger than me, so since then I told her I'd buy her a few drinks whenever we got together (again, maybe relevant).

We're not lushes by any stretch but our get togethers every couple of months usually involve booze.

Whenever I go to see them, I take whatever i want to drink with me. I'm the last year or so I can think of 2 occasions where I've stayed at his house for a BBQ and I've always taken a bottle of wine for myself. We're a bit too close to see it as a host thing I'd never expect a gift and neither does he.

He has visited here twice but without his girlfriend (due to her work commitments). He has always brought his own drink and also drank mine
Ive never drank his when visiting him (he never has anything in that I like anyway).

So last weekend they both visited. We went for a day out for food and drinks. Came back to mine, and they both had brought nothing with them to drink and drink all mine. He even whinged about my not having got his choice of wine/ciders.

I didn't think much of it at the time but now I'm feeling a bit irked.

Albu? Should i say/do something?
Maybe not take my own to his in future and ask him to get something in that I like? (He'd likely buy one mini bottle and leave me dry) Grin

OP posts:
Whosbooze · 05/08/2021 08:50

It seems I've got a myriad of different opinions anyway. It isn't the end of the world i was just a bit shocked as it hadn't ever happened before. Next time I stay at his ill probably ask him to get mine in. As he complained about my choices, I ended up opening an expensive bottle of wine I'd been saving too. That has irked me a little! But yes I'll ask him to get me a bottle of what I drink normally and if he says anything I'll tell him I thought this is what we did now, you didn't bring anything to mine?
He has always been a bit tight to be fair, but hasn't ever done this.
Groups of friends aculturise to one another I think and if it is normal amongst a group to take your own, that's okay and same if it is normal that the host provides. But weird to suddenly do something different after years of doingit one way.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 05/08/2021 08:51

@MrsSkylerWhite

I think it’s rude to only take your own drink. We always take something we know our hosts enjoy, for them.
I disagree. If you know your hosts only have things you don't drink it makes perfect sense.

DH only takes wine that he knows he and our friends will enjoy. He doesn't keep it to himself though.

I have taken soft drinks to other people's houses if I am driving because most people I know have diet drinks (which play havoc with my digestion)

Whosbooze · 05/08/2021 08:52

@Chikapu

What a petty, tit for tat way to run a friendship. If you know people are coming over buy in what they like and a bit extra.
I don't see how it's petty at all?

We (me and dp) go to theirs and take what we want to drink, friend comes to see us and same?

OP posts:
Sally872 · 05/08/2021 08:53

In that case maybe they are trying to cut back on alcohol or didn't want to be hungover next day. Who knows. Very rude of him to complain about what you had. Although he could have been moaning about the situation (I really wanted that cider meaning I wish I had brought the cider as usual rather than any expectation you would have had some in).

As they are close friends and after a few drinks I would have said "why didn't you bring some as usual?" To clarify.

MrsSkylerWhite · 05/08/2021 08:56

RampantIvy

“I have taken soft drinks to other people's houses if I am driving because most people I know have diet drinks (which play havoc with my digestion)“

I’d take soft drink and something host liked 🤷‍♀️
Personal thing, I guess.

Chikapu · 05/08/2021 09:04

I don't see how it's petty at all?

It's petty because you seem to be keeping score 'they don't provide mine so I don't provide theirs'. That's not how most people conduct friendships and it sounds miserable.

Funkyslippers · 05/08/2021 09:04

Sorry off topic but can I have a link to the spa crisps thread?! 😂

Travielkapelka · 05/08/2021 09:10

Absolutely blown away that you a) keep tabs and b) you bring your own drinks and don’t share. If you have a guest coming you stock up and don’t just drink your own. Are you 18?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 05/08/2021 09:12

@Funkyslippers

Sorry off topic but can I have a link to the spa crisps thread?! 😂
Its HERE

It feels like bizarre friendship week on MN.

RampantIvy · 05/08/2021 09:25

@MrsSkylerWhite

RampantIvy

“I have taken soft drinks to other people's houses if I am driving because most people I know have diet drinks (which play havoc with my digestion)“

I’d take soft drink and something host liked 🤷‍♀️
Personal thing, I guess.

Oh, I would take something the host liked as well. Sorry, I should have put that in.
RampantIvy · 05/08/2021 09:26

And we always share what we bring, as do our hosts.

sammylady37 · 05/08/2021 09:42

@Whosbooze

It seems I've got a myriad of different opinions anyway. It isn't the end of the world i was just a bit shocked as it hadn't ever happened before. Next time I stay at his ill probably ask him to get mine in. As he complained about my choices, I ended up opening an expensive bottle of wine I'd been saving too. That has irked me a little! But yes I'll ask him to get me a bottle of what I drink normally and if he says anything I'll tell him I thought this is what we did now, you didn't bring anything to mine? He has always been a bit tight to be fair, but hasn't ever done this. Groups of friends aculturise to one another I think and if it is normal amongst a group to take your own, that's okay and same if it is normal that the host provides. But weird to suddenly do something different after years of doingit one way.
Oh my god. How petty and miserable.

Make sure you drink enough to get the cost of your expensive wine back Hmm

sillysmiles · 05/08/2021 10:02

If I knew a friend who visited semi regularly drank a particular drink, I'd have it in the house for when they called.

To me, bringing your own drink and expect others to brings their semi cheap and petty.

Hellodarknessmyoldpal · 05/08/2021 10:20

@Whosbooze

It seems I've got a myriad of different opinions anyway. It isn't the end of the world i was just a bit shocked as it hadn't ever happened before. Next time I stay at his ill probably ask him to get mine in. As he complained about my choices, I ended up opening an expensive bottle of wine I'd been saving too. That has irked me a little! But yes I'll ask him to get me a bottle of what I drink normally and if he says anything I'll tell him I thought this is what we did now, you didn't bring anything to mine? He has always been a bit tight to be fair, but hasn't ever done this. Groups of friends aculturise to one another I think and if it is normal amongst a group to take your own, that's okay and same if it is normal that the host provides. But weird to suddenly do something different after years of doingit one way.
It's quite strange you are so irked by a one off not having enough booze with them though. I would never grudge my friends any food or drink especially if they are invited guests. Responding by saying he should buy yours next time does.seem petty but totally up to you if that is the way you choose to manage your friendships. If i invite others over i would always make sure i have a wee supply of a variety of drinks. People do usually bring extra but i wouldn't like anyone to run out. It's not cheap but if i couldn't afford it i would invite less people over and less frequently.
Aprilx · 05/08/2021 11:10

I can’t put myself in this scenario at all, it all seems very juvenile. Brining your own drink (for you alone) to somebody else’s house to drink is weird. Not getting anything in when you have guests is also weird.

Bringmemoonshine · 05/08/2021 12:10

I’m assuming that you are very young/students? Because it seems quite bizarre otherwise and not how I (or most people on this thread) conduct friendships/hosting.

grapewine · 05/08/2021 12:19

Such scorekeeping. Weird to me.

You took the clothes. So I guess you could think of it as payment for that... YABU.

Whosbooze · 05/08/2021 12:36

I take on board all your comments.
In future do you think I should suggest we change the way we've always done things and expect the host to provide?
I know ifme and my DP turned up to theirs they wouldn't have anything in, it would be expected we bring our own because that is the way it has always been done and it has always worked for us, I would have to have a quite formal chat about 'let's change how we do it now.
This is the first timein over a decade that anything different happened. I appreciate others think this is odd because they've always done things differently

OP posts:
grapewine · 05/08/2021 12:43

Honestly, I'd let this one go. Take your own next time as ever, and if they then come empty-handed again, then I'd mention it. Although I wouldn't be formal about it.

QuimReaper · 05/08/2021 12:55

Everyone is wrong here.

When I'm having people over I always ensure I've got everything we could need in, and cater to specific people's preferences if I know them.

Similarly, I never turn up empty handed and am always pretty shocked if anyone else does when I'm hosting. And my offering is not me 'bringing something for me to drink'.

Bringmemoonshine · 05/08/2021 13:36

@QuimReaper

Everyone is wrong here.

When I'm having people over I always ensure I've got everything we could need in, and cater to specific people's preferences if I know them.

Similarly, I never turn up empty handed and am always pretty shocked if anyone else does when I'm hosting. And my offering is not me 'bringing something for me to drink'.

Surely that’s what most replies are saying?
QuimReaper · 05/08/2021 14:07

@Bringmemoonshine Sorry, I meant everyone described in the OP Grin

Bringmemoonshine · 05/08/2021 14:16

@QuimReaper. Aaah! Yes, absolutely!

Bluntness100 · 05/08/2021 16:22

It’s one time op. Try to calm down. If things continue like this then speak Up. But after one time to be this upset as they drank your booze is quite odd unless you’re really skint?

dreamingbohemian · 05/08/2021 16:33

@Whosbooze

It seems I've got a myriad of different opinions anyway. It isn't the end of the world i was just a bit shocked as it hadn't ever happened before. Next time I stay at his ill probably ask him to get mine in. As he complained about my choices, I ended up opening an expensive bottle of wine I'd been saving too. That has irked me a little! But yes I'll ask him to get me a bottle of what I drink normally and if he says anything I'll tell him I thought this is what we did now, you didn't bring anything to mine? He has always been a bit tight to be fair, but hasn't ever done this. Groups of friends aculturise to one another I think and if it is normal amongst a group to take your own, that's okay and same if it is normal that the host provides. But weird to suddenly do something different after years of doingit one way.
Oh god please don't do this!

I don't understand why you're all being so uptight when you're supposedly best friends

Among everyone I know, the host stocks up on booze for everyone AND everyone brings some along as well (not just for themselves)