To think this was really cheeky of my friend!

[BreezyFish]

So my friend has just told me that she’s “only gonna spend a cutla quid” (her words, not mine ) on my DS this Christmas because she’s “saving for Center Parcs next year.”

Now, I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but a cutla quid?? I actually thought she was joking at first. My DS is 7, not some random kid from school you pick up a selection box for. I always spend properly on her DD with last year it was a LEGO set, a book, and one of those slime-making kits that exploded glitter everywhere. Easily £25+.

So I said, “Oh right, just a couple of quid?” and she said, dead serious, “Yeah hun, can’t go mad this year, Center Parcs isn’t cheap.”

Sorry but since when did her holiday mean my son gets shortchanged?! It’s not my fault she wants to go be in a beige lodge with a swimming pool.

She’s now acting like I’m the unreasonable one for being “materialistic.” But surely it’s just basic decency to reciprocate roughly what someone else spends?

Would I be unreasonable to get her DD something from the pound shop this year and see how she likes it?

Please stop saying cutla quid because you're nowhere near the actual word and it makes me want to die every time I read it 😂

What’s the 🤢 for? I just have my opinions on financial practice

Maybe your son could treat you to a dictionary?

Tbf I’ve only said it a cutla times

😂😂😂

OK, wind up, fair enough 😂

Every word of this!

It indicates MY opinion (you tend to get others opinions, posting on a forum) that your attitudes around "financial practice" are gross. You are completely missing the point of exchanging gifts. Your obsession with monetary value and what you consider "proper spending" are sickening

She's a friend, not an immediate blood relative ffs.
Just respond with something like 'oh ok, no problem. I understand that your family holiday comes first, so maybe we could set a spend limit on gifts for each other/our children this year of say £5 each?'
Drama over

Do you think she maybe said "coupla" and you're a little deaf? 🤔

@BreezyFish What on earth is "cutla"?

Cuttlefish?

Well, you’re not listening to anyone’s comments yourself. It’s not tradition, she’s a tightwad, and if you have any self respect you say I’ve been thinking , you’re totally right and we won’t do gifts for the kids this year. They all get lots anyway.

dont ask, tell. Make your life easier by removing a source of resentment. Which also means you should distance yourself. Don’t go out to dinner with people who will try and land you the bill!!

I don't get this....are you saying there wasn't one book in WHSmith that your son could have bought?? A book voucher or WHSmith voucher is fine as a little gift for anyone!

Just buy her kid an inexpensive gift. It’s the thought that counts.

It’s ok for her to have other priorities than kids presents. Also most kids are perfectly happy with a cheap present.

Right can we just drop this now!!! You’ve all made your point I’ll tell her tomorrow “no more gifts”

so anyways have you all got any stories of pain in the arse friends?

Maybe she meant cutlass? 😉☠️🦜⚔️

For Christ sake what is this BS

Seems to me you are overthinking this.....your friend has said that she's only spending a few quid on your DS. So she's being up front so that you don't spend too much on her daughter. It's totally fine to set expectations like that.

Your friends priorities are different, clearly she would rather spend money saving for the family holiday than buying gifts for friends children...can't say I blame her!

Just spend less this year too (a selection box or something) and get on and enjoy life!

It's cuppla / couple of. I absolutely refuse to believe anyone in this fair isle uses the phrase cutla. Ffs. Thanks for raising my blood pressure right before bed op.

She doesn't want to do presents anymore. She's told you very uneloquently but get over it. Move on, job done.

You're the one that hasn't shut up whinging the entire thread!

I mean so far it sounds like YOU'RE the pain in the arse friend if this wasn't a load of shite

Yeah I’ve got a friend who posts bullshit about me a cutla times all over the internet. It’s a real pita.

so I am distancing myself coz I want nuffink to do with them.

OP she’s a good mate!
She’s told you in advance not to spend loads on her DC as yours is getting sod all from her.
If she was a cowbag she’d not say a word, scoop up your present then say ah not reciprocating this year see ya

I carefully read your OP and updates. YABU, nasty and are clearly not her friend. Do her a favour and leave her alone or have an honest conversation and stop talking behind her back then she'd know what you think of her.

She has given you advance notice that she's not up for spending loads on presents this year because she's saving for a holiday. Nothing wrong with that. She's let you know so you aren't out of kilter with budgets.

Lol to your friend mispronouncing words… “cutla”!!

i think the English slang word “cuppla” actually originates (or linked) from the Irish language meaning a few (we say “cupla”)
So I think if you say “cuppla quid” to an Irish person we interpret this as a few quid not £2.

So I think it depends who you speak to here and where you are from.

Anyways, YABU OP. She doesn’t sound like a good friend so I’d move on.

Drop her as a friend. If she asks why, tell her friendship is give and take, not she-take and you-give.

Use the money you'd spend on her and or her daughter and take your DS somewhere fun for an outing.

She's NOT a friend. She's a user, and you just keep helping her use you.