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AIBU to feel friend if taking the p**s?

43 replies

Devora13 · 20/04/2018 08:37

So this is how it is.
I've been paying his £37 gym membership for a while, I dunno, two years, maybe more. It started out I'd pay for a month for him and it just seemed to be expected to carry on. I've done it because I knew he was struggling with his health and I'm a caring friend. I ask for a babysit in return, but this has probably happened every other month, not monthly, and is never offered.
A couple of months ago, he changed his bank account. I mistakenly made the payment into his old account, and I didn't realise the payment had bounced back. He then tells me it's taken him overdrawn and he'll get charges. I explain that he can call them (as we've discussed before) explain and ask for the charges to be waived. He asked if I would do it for him, and I said they wouldn't deal with me as it was his account.
So he eventually comes back to me, says the bank have said it's a fair charge and tough. I remind him there's a formal complaints procedure, and he says okay but he's no money left to buy food. So I offer to pay for a basic shop for him. He says can I just transfer £15 because he's going shopping with a friend!
I explain my outgoings til my next pay day, and say if I get him some shopping I can put it on my credit card. He says okay, but he'll have to borrow money from another friend.
Later he messaged me to say his friend's money arrived late and now he can't get his weekend 'treat' 'f***g brilliant,' as though this is all my fault. I checked his FB page to see he'd just been to visit a friend in another town and bought a gift for their new baby. AIBU to feel used?

OP posts:
Qcumber · 20/04/2018 09:59

I wouldn't even say it's because you can't afford it. Who cares if you can afford it or not. Why should you pay almost £40 a month to a friend for no reason Confused
I wouldn't be too bothered about losing this 'friend' OP. I'm sure you won't hear from him anymore once you stop throwing money at him. What a user.

CherryBlossomSeason · 20/04/2018 09:59

Wtf ?!? you've paid more in gym membership than you would have paid a babysitter.

He's a user and I don't want to be mean but you have MUG on your forehead.

Familiarity breeds contempt and that's certainly what he's got.

BettyBaggins · 20/04/2018 10:13

Stop paying for him. Now. He is leeching from you.

Strigiformes · 20/04/2018 10:23

Coffee's text is perfect, I'd send that. You sound like a really kind and generous friend but he has completely taken advantage of you.

Devora13 · 20/04/2018 16:43

Yes, he does have mental health issues and has been long term unemployed. Having said that, he's often refused to take his prescribed medication and I've tried to help him out in more practical ways but he doesn't seem to follow through with stuff. Maybe partly the illness I don't know for sure. We have been friends for many years and I suppose I did take on a bit of a mothering role after he had a bereavement. But I just feel that this last episode was really blatant.

OP posts:
onalongsabbatical · 20/04/2018 18:42

So what are you going to do, OP? You've been too kind for too long.

Guardsman18 · 20/04/2018 19:28

and I thought I was daft with money!

gamerchick · 20/04/2018 19:28

Yes he’s taking the piss and you’ve let him.

Question is now is what are you going to do about it? Maybe let him stand on his own feet.

KarmaStar · 20/04/2018 19:45

Stop paying his membership OP and out yourself first,that is a lot of money to pay out..
He is taking advantage of you.

bimbobaggins · 20/04/2018 21:20

He not a friend. No friend would treat you like this. I wouldn’t treat my worst enemy like this.
Wise up and stop the freeloading

Devora13 · 20/04/2018 22:49

We're not really communicating tbh. Took the family away for a week at Easter, he asked how the holiday was when we got back, and that has been pretty much it. Membership is about due and I'm waiting to see if he says anything. If so I think I may have a few words. I was waiting for him to apologise over the shopping thing but it's not happened. Been nearly four weeks.

OP posts:
bimbobaggins · 20/04/2018 22:51

Why are you waiting to see if he says anything. Assert yourself and tell him you will no longer be paying it. It doesn’t need to be any more difficult than that

Karigan1 · 20/04/2018 22:52

What did I just read? WHY are you paying this man’s gym membership?

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 20/04/2018 22:54

This is bonkers. Tell him that’s the end of it, he is severely taking the piss.

travailtotravel · 20/04/2018 22:54

Just stop paying. If he values your friendship he will understand the pressure this payment puts you under and appreciate what you have done for him. If not, well at least you know he values your money and not you. Harsh but true.

Cornishclio · 20/04/2018 22:55

I agree he is taking advantage. You are not his mother and he is blatantly taking advantage. He sounds very entitled. Is the long term unemployed because of his mental health issues or is he just lazy?

DarkPeakScouter · 20/04/2018 22:59

Message him saying you won’t be paying the gym membership as you don’t want money to get in the way of your friendship.

Shinesweetfreedom · 20/04/2018 23:05

Oh dear to even be going along with this you seem vulnerable to me.There is no question that this is a freeloader not a friend.

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