Friend bringing friend on 80th birthday hol and making us pay

[SparklyBrickHare]

I’m absolutely fuming this morning. My friend and I are going to Las Vegas in December for our joint 80th celebrations, mine in November and hers in January. She has told me she’s bringing her other friend with us who I don’t like very much because she witters on about herself all the time.

It was supposed to just be me, DH, her and her DH but now she’s asked if her and I can split the bill and pay for this friend to come with us because she’s lonely and hasn’t got much money. She’s expecting us to pay for not only the flights and hotel but for a day trip and helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon which isn’t exactly cheap anyway without having to fork out for someone else.

I’m annoyed at the both of them. Her friend for expecting it and my friend for asking me to split it with someone I don’t like very much. The problem is that you can’t say anything to her because she victim blames and flies of the handle if you disagree with her. We can’t really have any fall outs because we need to get it booked quickly.
What would you do?

I think this is a fake post as no-one can get to 79yrs and still be a complete drip, surely? 🤔

I agree with this comment. You're only 80 once so you want it to be memorable not resenting the presence of someone you have to pay for yet don't want to be with.

You can't seriously be thinking of paying for this person surely??

This sounds totally nuts. What was your friend thinking? Cancel and go with DH. If you can't get out of going say your fine with friend coming, but you definitely won't be paying half.
I would be embarrassed if I was this other woman. Maybe she will be too, and decline the invite.

If they want to take her away because she’s lonely, why don’t they take her on a cheap break to Spain or something. Then pay for it themselves.

Honestly, I don’t even think I’d want to remain friends with someone who thought it was ok to foist this on me. Even if this person was paying their own expenses, I still wouldn’t want to spend my precious holiday with someone I dislike. It’d be a big fat no from me.

Ooooh, that'll tell her!

🙄

First response nails it. Just go with your DH. Why are you going on holiday with people like below?

The problem is that you can’t say anything to her because she victim blames and flies of the handle if you disagree with her. We can’t really have any fall outs because we need to get it booked quickly.

Gosh. Another outrageous OP with zero input from actual OP. It's almost as if....

..making us pay

Sorry but she simply cannot do such a thing.

If you are stupid enough to agree to it or too weak to say no then that's on you. Yes, it's cheeky to ask, but to label this as her 'making you' go along with it is just nonsense.

If you can't tell her you don't want to go on holiday with this woman, never mind pay for her to do so, I assume you aren't very close with DF at all.

How does the Mumsnet trope go? No is a complete sentence.

No on both counts. If you say it's about money she could end up coming anyway, so say no. You don't need to be rude. If your friend can't accept that go without her. Ideally you'll say no, friend will say fair enough and you'll have a great time!

Yeah, I don’t usually bother leaving a comment if OP hasn’t been back, but I forgot to check this time. It’s getting to the point where I don’t trust any OP, except if it’s a Wordle thread or something like buying a new bread bin🤣

You can't disagree with whom? Your friend or your friend's friend? Either way, you're not disagreeing with them, you'd just be saying you can't afford it. Just like she'd say the same if you said you'd like them to pay for you, no doubt

Gosh. Another outrageous OP with zero input from actual OP. It's almost as if....

Indeed. Don't know why we bother really.

We are working for the large language model which is designed to generate replies on a forum in order to feed the large language model which we are working for.

Yes quite. It's almost pointless being on MN these days.

I actually think you're being ridiculous asking this question. Really?! Paying for someone you don't like to go on a trip with you?
No is a whole sentence. Your friend is extremely rude to even put this on you and it changes the whole dynamic of your holiday. I wouldn't even entertain the notion of it.

As so often happens, first post nails it.

We can’t really have any fall outs because we need to get it booked quickly.

There's no way I'd be booking or going on a holiday, let alone paying towards one with a person that I don't get on with.

What type of friend would even ask you to contribute towards such an expensive holiday for a person that you don't even really like.....no, just no..

You don't need to book quickly, infact you don't need to book at all.

What I'd really like to hear you've said is.... better still, between broken laughter ......
"Sorry Betty, don't mean to laugh but for a minute there I thought you said"......

Then go straight faced shake your head, while tutting, look her in the eye and say
whatever comes to mind....

But...
I'd just say sorry, I'd rather go as planned, two couples or I'm happy to go with just with DH on our own...and you need to mean it and stick to it.

I wouldn't even mention any talk of her asking you to contribute...that was incredibly rude to even ask of you.

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ and leave it there…

Yeah right op...

Totally this.
Got ti be a wind up
Rage bait.

Any theories why people do this?
Theres been loads.

I'd go with my husband and lose the cherky fxxker friend.

I thought the exact same thing. How sad to be 80 and still not being able to say no