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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Friend taking advantage of me. I am not a hotel!

593 replies

brownbreadd · 18/05/2024 20:55

it's a long one!!!! Buckle in!

So I met a new friend online on a Facebook forum locally whereby we realised that we had a lot of the same interests, and therefore decided after a little while of talking to me up for coffee.. eventually things progressed in our friendship and we became quite close...fast forward 2 years are now very good friends!

I have recently started to notice a few things that do not sit well with me and I would consider to be red flags. I don't know if it is just me being paranoid or sensitive so I wanted to pop something up here to get others opinions. 🤷🏼‍♀️

A few months back, DH and I finally sold our house after having been on the market for quite a while... things were going really well, and it was naturally a very busy time for us. We found another property that we liked and we had progressed quite far down the chain in regards to getting the move going!

During this time, my friend would hound me sometimes four times a day (yes really, I've got the screenshots!) about different holidays and trips that she wanted to go on because her annual leave calendar had been updated for the year.
As I say this was a very busy time for us and we were constantly having to get things sorted legally, attending appts etc and so I kept telling her that unfortunately at this point in time I cannot guarantee when or if I can go away with her because I have so much going on at home. My husband and I were also about to start a new job each at the time.. so it was really all very hectic!

She would absolutely hound me from the moment that I woke up to the minute that I would go to bed and even though I kept being polite and declining the offers and explaining my reasons why, she would constantly bombard me with messages and screenshots of holidays. Got to the point where I dreaded opening my phone when I saw a message from her in the morning, and she was putting me in such a negative headspace that I was taking it out on my poor DH. 🥺

Eventually, she caught me on a really hard day through other reasons that I won't go into... and I ended up caving and booking something with her for a few months time. I am really not looking forward to it to be honest and would much rather be here at home as I recently started my new job and I'm missing vital training time. This is by the by, I cannot do anything about it now. It is a holiday for just me and her, my husband is staying at home due to working commitments.

Anyway, in the end, unfortunately a couple of months after the sale etc our buyers had to pull out for financial reasons. It was gutting, we lost chunks of money and the home we loved and were accepted on... but I guess we are able to go on the holiday, but it just feels completely tainted in the fact that she would not take no for an answer from me, even though I was continuously explaining my reasons..

Fast forward to now and she has met a new man who I have met only a small handful of times. He seems nice enough, but I do not know anything about him literally other than his name and profession.

A few weeks ago, my friend started hounding me about an event that she wanted to go to locally one weekend. I suffer greatly with extreme anxiety and ASD and drinking and clubs is really not my scene at all. It makes me highly anxious and it's honestly just my worst nightmare being in that type of situstjon. She went on and on at me so much that again I ended up cracking and saying that I will go with her. It was quite odd. She even made me pinky promise.. Confused

As I mentioned earlier, I am now in my new job, and have since had my rots through for this point in time whereby I am actually scheduled to work the following day on an early shift, so I am actually dreading going out even more now because I want to be able to excel in my job and function properly at work the following day. It's likely I won't be home until early hours of the morning of the day I'm expected into work. My job is set on high performance targets and I don't function well regardless on no / little sleep. I won't be hungover as I don't drink, but I will be shattered!!!!!

Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, she has now met said new man and he has been asked to come along with us to said event, along with my husband now, too. She has said she wants to make it a double date BlushConfused

This morning I received a message from my friend asking if her and her new man can sleep round at mine and DH's house the evening of this event because they have looked into hotels and they are coming out too expensive so they want somewhere free to stay overnight. They both still live with family at home.

My initial reaction to this message was that it was extremely cheeky and rude to ask. I have work the next morning and I have also got a viewing scheduled on our home that morning too. It would not be suitable to have guests in the house that morning when I need to tidy up and prepare for the viewing!

That aside, I do not know this man at all, I don't know anything about him, what he's like etc. I feel in a vulnerable position because the house is often empty due to mine and my partners working schedule, and I don't know who this man might know / what he could do. Not saying he would, but I'm extremely wary already living in a remote location.

I took me a good hour to muster up the courage to text her back. I did, and told her unfortunately this would not be possible because I have work the next day and I also have a home viewing. Yet again, my word was not good enough for her, and she has gone on and on about the fact that accommodation in the area we are going out in is too expensive and they just want to spend one night together...BlushConfused

this obviously makes me feel really uncomfortable, not only the fact that I don't know him but also the fact that they want to spend the night together under my roof!!!!! All day she has been going on and on about the fact that it would just be one night and that they would be out of our way by the morning.

Is it weird that I almost find this more insulting?! It's like they are just using me as a place to sleep together before heading out for the day the next day!!! I just feel completely used and as though my word NO is not good enough or respected.

Not only does she do things like this, but she also often has her deliveries and parcels directed to my home address without having ever asked me if that is okay. I often come home to find parcels of all shapes and sizes on my doorstep addressed to her, and a couple of weeks ago I was getting ready for bed at 11 pm when my ring doorbell alerted me movement outside of my home. I checked my ring doorbell and it was her at 11 pm on my driveway collecting a parcel from my front doorstep. She did not once ask me if she could come at that time of night or even if she could have anything delivered to my address AT ALL. in fact she has never asked!! HmmShock

when I asked her about this, she told me that she cannot have things delivered to her home address since she still lives with her family and they become concerned with her spending habits because she continually has parcels arriving. So, she has to have them delivered to my address to hide that from the family.

Through all of this, I am trying to run my home, maintain a good relationship with my poor DH who is constantly working. I am also trying to excel in my new job, and maintain the house for the market and viewings... to be honest it feels as though she is trying to make things difficult for us.

I am not entirely sure what I am asking here...

I guess I just need an outsiders perspective? I feel like I'm being used and abused for my Home, my address for her parcels, and as somebody that she can fill her free time with. I just feel as though the friendship is very one-sided...

I think I mentioned above, I do suffer extreme anxiety and ASD, so I am sure if it is overreacting or being paranoid... I just feel as though I want this holiday over and done with and then I want to try and distance myself from her a little.

Almost as soon as this holiday was booked, she was then sending me other holidays for later in the year. When I was saying no to the first holiday; she kept telling me that she cannot function without a years worth of plans in advance and that she doesn't know anyone but me, she needs to book up as much as she can with me.

I tried to gently explain to her that I have also got my own things that I want to book, such as special anniversary trip with my husband later in the year!! I think she has been so used to almost being the third person in our relationship for so long, she almost feels as though it is a given that she will attend anything like this with us! I have just tried to make her feeling included where she has been continuously saying how lonely she is.

There is nothing odd going on (!!!) but for example, if DH and I are popping out for a bite to eat, and she is asking me what I'm doing, I will offer for her to come along etc.

When I mentioned about the fact that I will also want holidays later in the year with my husband, she became funny about the fact that I had not asked if she wants to come along. I can only hope that now she has met this new man, hopefully they can start to organise things together themselves.

I feel bad as my fuse is getting shorter, but I am really struggling to regulate my emotions around this situation, and feel as though I am being used and abused. I have plenty of other friends who are low maintenance and lovely and would never be like this to me. Sad

As I say, I'm not really sure what I'm asking here but perhaps an outsiders perspective would help me!

Thank you in advance and thank you for reading if you got this far!!! BiscuitDaffodil

OP posts:
FiloPasty · 18/05/2024 21:29

Move house and change your number, she sounds like the kind of person that ghosting was designed for!

life is too short for the stress

Itsallfunngamesuntil · 18/05/2024 21:29

Sorry OP, but you are teaching this woman how to treat you

She's knows if she keeps on insisting you will eventually say yes

She has zero problem pushing your boundaries and being v demanding

I'd be crystal clear on stuff with her

Eg she wants to stay overnight. You said no. Keep on stating no. If the begging continues I'd simply ignore any messages for a week and I'd tell her you're putting her on mute as the constant requests are stressful

She is beyond rude. But you can't change her....you can only change yourself

Gollumm · 18/05/2024 21:30

Cancel the night out and the holiday, tell her to go with her new man instead. Then block her number and don't tell her where you're moving to!

FinallyPregnant23 · 18/05/2024 21:34

What does your husband say when you talk to him about this? I think you need to tell her basically what you’ve put on here, that you enjoy her friendship but the nagging to go on holiday or to events you’ve said no to is making your anxiety worse and you’re at a point where you dread getting messages from her. I’d back out of the event, if she has a boyfriend to go with now anyway, and I would just be firm with her. It’s hard I know and if she reacts badly she isn’t a good friend to you anyway.

IncompleteSenten · 18/05/2024 21:34

Stop sending big long explanations.

"I said no."

Is absolutely fine.

BadSkiingMum · 18/05/2024 21:35

Get your husband to send you a fake message.

’Gill at 53 has told me that she’s had parcels stolen from outside her house. Mark had a new phone nicked, the scumbags. Don’t get anything delivered unless your definitely going to be in.’

Screenshot it and send the picture to Demanding Friend with a ‘Sorry love I definitely can’t take any more parcels’.

Turn off notifications on WhatsApp and reply to every tenth message with variations on ‘Sorry, it’s been frantic must catch up soon xxx.’

Regard the loss of the holiday deposit and the event ticket as a price worth paying to be rid of her!

Leavingasinkingship · 18/05/2024 21:36

Op she's not a real friend. She's taking advantage of you.

I have ASD and I know it varies person to person, but people pleasing without realising we're doing it is really common. It's also common that we might think we're being really direct when saying no, but the other person doesn't see it (eg because we might say no in our words but not give off the body language to communicate that we're really pissed off)

pasturesgreen · 18/05/2024 21:39

Jesus Christ, why haven't you blocked her already?!

Can't believe you're seriously entertaining the idea of going on holiday with this woman. And I'd put a stop to the parcel deliveries asap. Refusing/returning everything to sender should do the trick.

And for God's sake, block.

HelplessSoul · 18/05/2024 21:42

Fuckin block her.

Send her parcels back or flog them on eBay.

She is a colossal piss taker and you have allowed her to walk all over you. Get your dignity back and fuck her off for good.

hurlyburlygirly · 18/05/2024 21:42

Next she'll be setting up credit from your address. Stop this now. Phase her right out.

She has issues but they're really not your problem.

PieFaces · 18/05/2024 21:47

You’ve caused a lot of this by choosing to move the boundaries constantly, negotiating and failing to stick firm with your decisions. Tell her once you’re not able to holiday with her then ignore any other texts about the topic. Tell her only once its not possible to accommodate her at your house and ignore any other texts on the topic. Make a decision and do not budge an inch, do not negotiate or explain. Do not cave and invite her out with you, tell her you’re having some alone time with DH and ignore her comments. Delay reading texts to slow communication down.

PieFaces · 18/05/2024 21:49

Ignore the door. Don’t take in parcels. You didn’t hear the door bell

Keepthosenamesgoing · 18/05/2024 21:54

The problem is that you are showing that you are a "no then yes" person. So if she keeps hounding you then you cave.
You need to be a "no then no further discussion" person.
So you need to adopt some stock phrases to shut further conversations down.
CF: but it's just one night pleeease
OP: sorry no.
CF: but but but [reasons]
OP: sorry no.

Don't give reasons, she will argue against them. Just say no.

Stainglasses · 18/05/2024 21:54

She sounds very pushy. I wouldn’t want to be friends with someone who pushed me around. Learn to assert your boundaries politely and firmly.

LittleRedYarny · 18/05/2024 21:56

Oof this is tough. You have my sympathy, I’m ADHD and the whole people pleasing/social boundaries maze is a flaming nightmare some days.

I guess you would like to maintain the friendship but at more of a distance that doesn’t leave you feeling trampled.

So on the holiday front, you just need to set a firm boundary (easier said than done) and that could be something like agreeing to one weekend away a year or just that you don’t do holidays with anyone but your husband. Once the decision is made to what you feel comfortable with you need to tell her. I suggest doing this in a neutral place and in a focussed way, so face to face as opposed to while browsing for clothes etc. DO NOT say “I’m sorry/ I apologise/ Unfortunately - you do not apologise for setting a healthy personal boundary (I have made up a song and dance this to sing to myself when I waver about this stuff.) After that you just stick to the boundary, either repeat a stock phrase of “I have decided that at this time in life I prefer just to go on holiday with Martin (or whatever husbands name is.)” and rinse repeat. Or just ignore and redirect - whatever works for you. Every time you are successful in sticking to your boundary make a note and then when you reach a 100 or she shuts up you treat yourself to something selfish and lovely. But you harness that ASD and dig your heels in and get a hyper focus on this and your special treat because this should hopefully help you succeed.

As for the horrible night out, collude with your husband to have a terrible ceiling water leak that day and bail on them, they can cough up for hotel if it’s that important that they have a night together. (Other MNers will tell you lying is bad, it’s not, your precious ASD brain needs you to occasionally tell lies to help you care for it and yourself. Those MNers that say No
is a complete sentence and a lie is bad can all go boil their heads and we shall not give a tuppenny fig about them, they don’t know how it is for some of us!)

The parcel thing is weird, tell her to get them delivered to a shop delivery point or Amazon etc locker. If you can either return to sender via courier or hide them in the house and return sender unknown. After a few of these she’ll hopefully stop.

If you can enlist a devious friend for all of the above :)

Ultimately all this may end the friendship, but I don’t think she really is a good healthy friend for you so hopefully this won’t hurt too much if it happens.

REMEMBER - you deserve healthy boundaried friendships and it’s ok to make this happen for you.

romdowa · 18/05/2024 22:05

If you want to maintain the friendship then you need very firm boundaries. If she suggests something and you aren't up for it, say no once and then ignore any other messages about it.
If you don't have strong boundaries then she is going to continue to push and push.

TheOccupier · 18/05/2024 22:09

I couldn't read all that but luckily I didn't need to as it was clear from the first few paragraphs that you're a total doormat. Cancel the event, cancel the holiday, end the friendship.

SilentSilhouette · 18/05/2024 22:12
  1. take the next parcel that arrives and deny all knowledge of it. If she thinks it got stolen then perhaps she won't send any more to your house

  2. you need to be far more assertive. Reply once saying no thanks then ignore her if she keeps asking.

  3. if you don't want to go to this late night event on a work night then just tell her. "Actually I'm afraid we can no longer go to X event due to too many work commitments the next day and i cant afford to be tired. Hope you and new man have fun'. Then don't reply regarding this again.

WGACA · 18/05/2024 22:12

She sounds exhausting and overwhelming. I would fade out the friendship. Don’t go on the night out and don’t go on the holiday.

Thevelvelletes · 18/05/2024 22:16

PoppingTomorrow · 18/05/2024 21:02

If you are saying no and she keeps ignoring this and trying to wear you down she is not a friend.

Just block her.

That's it in a nutshell... BLOCK
Problem solved.

Hotttchoc · 18/05/2024 22:22

She does sound difficult but one thing that occurred to me is when you say she hounds you about holidays I don't think it's weird of her to send you several messages in a day about holidays if she thinks you may want to go on holiday with her. Do you reply to these messages each time? If not does it matter how many times she texts you?

If I don't want to see someone's messages I archive them and then read them when ready.

Dont let her stay at your house. You've said no. If she goes on must say "As I've said they won't be possible" or something.

VJBR · 18/05/2024 23:44

brownbreadd · 18/05/2024 21:08

I'm in half a mind not to tell her where we move to, if and when we do, because I will undoubtedly get more deliveries for her there!

I think you should seriously consider this. It sounds like you are getting more bad times than good times from this friendship. It is making you more anxious. You don’t have to give a reason for saying no. Don’t feel obliged to give long explanations. Just stick with it doesn’t work for me. Don’t let her be a third wheel in your marriage. I would start to create a bit of distance.

brownbreadd · 18/05/2024 23:46

Thank you all for your responses, there's some really interesting ones here.
I am due to go away in a few months as I say, but the thought of it is just filling me with dread for a variety of reasons, more so because I think I just don't want to spend that much of my annual leave on a holiday I don't think I'm going to enjoy when I could be holidaying with DH instead. With work, we barely see each other as it is.

OP posts:
Orders76 · 18/05/2024 23:47

With someone like this you need cold hard facts and don't use anything emotional.

Sorry hun, I don't have enough money or work holidays to have a holiday with you after my lovely husband.
Hopefully, you can make plans for some solo travel or maybe with the new man!

Penguinfeet24 · 18/05/2024 23:53

You need to set some strong boundaries here with this one OP. With regards to the night out you just say sorry, you're now working the next day and have a house viewing so it doesn't suit you to go out the night before, therefore her and her bf will have to book a hotel if they wish to go because you won't be. Stop saying yes to her because she pesters you - warn her that no means no and if she co to yes to badger you about it you'll put her on mute. It's not fair to you but to be fair you are allowing g her to walk over you so you need to put your foot down.