To let a holiday go to waste than give it away for free?

[ohputyourtinkleon]

4 of us going to Cyprus
1 person (partner ) can't go now
It cost £1400 per person
I put a post on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to come for £800 and name change
A few friends said they would love too but can't afford the £800
So anyway the place is going to waste
Partner said I should have just let someone come and do the name change but we paid so why should someone get it for free?

Aibu ?

Why would someone want to pay full price to go on a holiday they weren’t invited on and have had no say in the dates, location, accommodation, flights, food arrangements and who they go with!

If you’d prefer not to have an additional person come then of course you don’t have to give it away. If you think having another friend there would enhance the experience then why wouldn’t you give it away for free? It’s win-win for you and them. If your feelings are neutral then it’s a nice thing to do for a friend, so why let it go to waste?

Of course, if you really need the cash there’s always the option of asking for a contribution towards it (say £250) which is better than nothing for you and might be cheap enough to make someone want to come on a holiday they’re only being invited on as an afterthought.

Cut the right to four

Eight to four hundred

I'd invite a close friend, or parent or sibling, someone who's available and who I'd willingly spend time with.

Few people will be able to give up two weeks annual leave at the drop of a hat.

You're tight as heck.

I'm finding this thread odd. So you and your partner (presume same bedroom) were going away with another couple (presume same bedroom) half board, but in reality it has an extra bedroom that is available. Now partner cannot go, and has lost the £1400 already, but you could take another person X for the cost of a name change, BUT you would have to have the acceptance that X is suitable to both you and the other couple as they will take up the extra bedroom without the other couple feeling a bit put out - they recoup nothing, share a room, whilst you and the newcomer have a single room each. I completely see how having an extra person along could help you - if they are prepared to pay something (and yes, I would agree that £800 last minute is not that attractive if they work, have not been involved etc) helps recoup some of your partner's costs. I'm not sure what the other couple get out of it, other than it not being a bit lob-sided at dinner. Personally I think another person joining on (accepted by you all) should pay any name change fees, and then anything that they are prepared to pay should be put in the pot for drinks and so on - yes you won't personally get much of the £1400 back for your partner, but you three will all benefit - free drinks for a couple of nights etc. The other couple may know someone (again, acceptable to you all) that would do this. It is not much compensation for your partner, but it sounds like he has accepted his loss anyway. Worth a thought ?

I can totally see why you don’t want to give a £1400 holiday away. I wouldn’t let anyone go unless they could pay at least half that. I would rather waste it.

I don’t care what that says about me.

I agree with the poster above, if they can’t pay I’d rather have the room empty. Give it away to a friend who can’t afford it and I guarantee they buy or do something instantly that makes you think “I thought they couldn’t afford $xyz.”

Hmmmm tough one. Its a lot to ask for a holiday you haven't chosen.

But then it is essentially a free ride especially being half-board and if no contribution was made then that would be difficult.

Is there someone who you know would benefit from this because of their current financial state, but would ask what they could contribute i.e. airport parking/transfers etc..

If you would like any of your friends who expressed an interest to come why not ask them what they could afford? Even £500 or £600 would be better than losing all the money. I know they would be getting a great bargain but if they don't have £800 available they can't afford it.

Would you be happy with them sleeping in your room though? If so, ask how much they can afford. £500 is better than nothing.

Partner has lost £1400? Why can't they go now? I went back and reread but don't appear to have missed anything.

I'm with your partner and would take someone I get along with at a reduced rate. It's a tall ask for someone to take a fortnight away from all other commitments at short notice so £800 might be too high, especially if the potential 4th person has budgetary considerations.

I'm surprised at how many people would be happy for the person that won't actually be there on the holiday to be the person to choose what happens with the space - the people that are actually going to be there should absolutely have the right to say who can and cannot go with them!

I would be a bit concerned that someone taking the space for free might not have enough money to pay for lunches/drinks etc, so I'm kind of with the op. I know some people think £800 is expensive, but for two weeks half board, I think it's a really good price. It's cheaper than the last half board holiday I went on, which was pre-COVID and prices have risen significantly since then.

I know some people might struggle to find that at short notice, but there are plenty of people that could too. I'm a low earner, and I would be able to.

Op, enjoy your holiday whatever you decide to do.

Why would they sleep in op's room when there's enough space for them to have a room to themselves?

You could always ask the other couple to help you out and perhaps they could invite one of their friends or family to join the party if you really want a good holiday with minimal costs sans DP.
After all you all get a say in who is invited surely?

Screw the money for me it’s about the dynamics. If you would feel more comfortable not having a friend come then don’t, if it would make your holiday better having a friend present then that’s your answer. If they can cover the name change cost and put something token towards the holiday (or buy you a meal / wine) then that’s good enough in my book

I would just ask them to pay for the name change, hate to see things go to waste.

Yes because everyone has a spare £800 lying around nowadays you sound extra 🙄

You remind me of an ex friend of mine. I bought a set of house furniture from her, one of the chest of drawers had a beautiful mirror with an opening base for jewellery- she had bought it as an add on when she got the furniture. A day or so after we moved the stuff to my house I asked here where the mirror was and she said I could have it for £50 or it was going to the skip. I was stunned someone would actually throw something out rather than have it used - just becsue they paid extra for it 10 years previously. I just said 'oh, that's a shame' and after that day started to pull back from the friendship. It was many years ago now but thinking about it still makes me think 'WTF' that a friend would rather have something go to waste.

If they can't afford the 800 they won't have spending money either

Has the £1400 been paid yet? If so who paid?
If someone else has paid ask them.
If you've paid it's your choice whether you lose the money or not but Im with your DH but make sure whoever goes is a good friend and not a leech. If you'd prefer to lose the place, see if you can at least get the meals refunded.

And this is the exact reason why you should never give the ticket away OP.

People just take the piss.

Unless your mother can come for free I’d suck up the loss

I would love to take a friend for free as long as they cover the name change cost

I'm aware this is going to come across as unpleasant but I think it's worth saying.

If you don't have a single friendship in your life that involves acts of kindness and generosity towards each other then I feel sorry for you.

There are acts of kindness and then there are acts of taking the piss.

Sometimes it's very hard to draw the line.