Best friend has accused me of being stingy.

[YourWorthyBee]

My best friend left a relationship a year or so ago and got himself a new girlfriend a few months back. I am genuinely pleased for him as in his previous relationship he was cheated upon regularly but his new flame is really nice.
His new girlfriend has a son and it was recently his 21st. I was invited to the party. Having never met the boy before, I turned up with a bottle of prosecco and a card with £50 in it. My best friend told me that he was really disappointed in me and that I should have given more. I'm not exactly Jeff Bezos in terms of money and as I hadn't met the boy I thought I was doing good. AIBU?

Does your friend know about the £50? I was just wondering if they thought you just gave a card and a bottle of Prosecco which to be fair for a 21-year-old you don’t know and have never met would be fine in my eyes

That's so weird!

I'm not sure I'd have even wanted to go to the party of a random 21yo I'd never met!! You have to admit that "best friends new girlfriends son who I've never met" is a stretch by anyone's social barometer.

I'd have probably have bought a card along, but certainly not a very generous gift! What do you even write in a card for someone you've never met and barely heard of?!

Your "friend" is being hugely unreasonable.

£50,00 is very generous ! I do wonder if the new GF is ever so slightly jealous? Many women may not be comfortable with BF having a female BF.Maybe she said something about it .Otherwise its difficult to know .£25.00 for our young nephews is our normal amount and its very well received .

I thought that the Prosecco was enough. The 50 made it generous.

What an ungracious person! In my book, your gift is extremely generous. I would not be able to feel the same way about the friend after this.

Do you have kids? If you do, what kind of presents does he give?

Best friends child it totally different than best friends new girlfriends adult children you've never met. But to kinda give idea what os this person's baseline for gifts.

Your present was generous and friend is an ass.

£50 was too generous for this random!

I think you were very generous. I would give that amount to a family member.

Indeed

He would have to exist first

You're assuming OP is a woman. Back in February she/he(more likely) had created an exH, and a lovely new handsome bloke she/he met a a swinger's club.
Now there's a wife on the scene. Busy boy/girl!

When your birthday comes round, ask your friend what the 21 year old lad is going to get you.

Yanbu. Your friend can fuck off. A bottle of Fizz and a card for a best friend's new girlfriends 21 year old son would have been enough, you aren't obliged to get him anything and it was very kind of you and you was very very generous to give £50 on top of that.

I also wonder why you even were invited, but that aside, how much to give entirely depends on the social circle. £50 is a 2-weeks food shop for some and a tip in a restaurant for others.

£50 is about the amount I'd give one of my nephews for their 21st, more than generous for a friends partners son!

Agree 100%
if Jeff Bezos then different matter 😃

About 30 years ago, I gave a very junior colleague a leaving card containing about £50 and forever after I have wondered if they ever got this money. He maybe didn’t open the card or possibly left it behind by accident. Could it be that something like this has happened? If not, your friend is unbelievably rude.

Sorry, I should have read the whole thread. Rookie error!

That's how much I give my nieces, nephews and godchildren for their 18th and 21st birthdays! What an ungrateful arse. YANBU. At all!

I think that’s generous for someone you know well to be honest, you have never met him, that’s more than generous!

Even if there were 'cultural expectations' the OP 's response should be 'in my culture, a £50 gift to the random son of a friend's girl-friend is considered very generous'. Why is that the grabby cultures seem to take precedence?

Fifty quid for your mate’s, new girlfriend’s, son who you have never met???

Yeah I think fifty quid is incredibly generous, if in fact weirdly extravagant. You’ve never met him!

Oh id missed this, quite bizarre to invite your mum's new boyfriend's friend.

Was he trying to impress the new love OP and invited you as a cash cow?

Your friend is being a dick.

Wow. Your friend sounds greedy?
I wouldn't have given a complete stranger to me £50 quid. The bottle would have been enough!