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How much should house guest offer to pay?

326 replies

Goldfishonabike · 07/04/2024 17:48

Just that. We just had house guest for three nights, they’ve never visited the country we now live in before, so we took them out to show them the place, asked them what they’d like to do and took them
to those specific places as well as a few we chose. On all occasions they either paid for themselves and we paid for ourselves or we paid for us all. Not once did they offer to treat us to anything - like standing in a queue for ice cream they ordered for themselves no paid for themselves, on another occasion we ordered for us all and one of them said “do you want me to pay?” Just like that, and because if the way it was phrased I said no no I’ll get it don’t worry. we provided all meals at home, including one take out. They’re a family of five, so it wasn’t a low cost either.
They’re both working and own a home while one of us are unemployed and we are living in rental accommodation.
I would like to be a generous person and generally consider myself as such, but I’ve never experienced anything like this before. Usually when we have house guests, people offer to pay for a meal out or to pay our entrance to touristic places (which we anyways only visit for the visitors benefit) and when we are are house guests we always make sure to get groceries and drinks and if we go out we offer to pay for the meal.
do you think the behavior of this guests is normal? Also, do you think maybe it could be some misunderstanding, as on two occasions they did offer to pay, but to
my mind very half-heartedly aka “do you want me to pay?” And as soon as I said I’ll get it just accept it. Do you think I was too over eager to be generous or is it normal
ti expect the hosts to pay everything?

OP posts:
MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 12/04/2024 18:47

greyandbluewool · 09/04/2024 17:06

In my opinion hosts have the responsibility to set the tone clearly because you know the lay of the land, how much things cost and more importantly how much you can afford to spend. Guests from abroad can't know this.
To me these guests would have been completely normal because I always pay for food, and also meals out if I make a point of deciding the place. I would expect friends to pay for car hire if necessary, tickets and entrance fees to day trips out and would make this clear by saying things like, tickets cost x, let me know if it's something you want to do.

I wouldn't host people if I couldn't feed them because in my mind that's basic hospitality. So for me food goes with the offer to stay. If I didn't wish to offer certain particular things, such as expensive alcohol etc, for whatever reason, I just wouldn't get it out while they were there.

I agree

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