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17th October 2023
02:39pm BST
A woman who went to visit her lifelong friend for a week holiday has been left completely baffled after receiving an itemised bill to cover the cost of her stay.
The woman, who took to Reddit, explained that she had known her friend since she was six, and said that the friend invited her and her husband over for a week long vacation and even offered to throw her husband a birthday party (as it took place during their visit).
Taking her up on the offer, the woman said they did some sight-seeing, stayed in another city (which she was happy to pay for), and covered some other costs, however at the end of her trip she was presented with an itemised bill revealing a full list of costs.
She explained: "Here's the list. $152.10 Stay at hotel room in another city (okay this I get). $105.00 Gas (for them driving us around town and out of town during our stay to show us the sights!)
"$90.00 Birthday food for husband's birthday party (this I get as well, I guess, but if you offer to throw a party for someone you don't usually expect them to pay for half of it!).
"$136.20 Car rental (when we flew to another island with them for a couple of days, I get this as well)
"$21.00 Gas (I guess for around town driving??!). $6.50 Parking (For fricking parking the car in the city one day! Really??).
"$27.00 Airport parking (When we parked the car at the airport before taking a flight to the other island for 2 days. Really??)
"TOTAL: $537.80."
The woman concluded: "I was just blown away by this! I would have given them a couple hundred to cover the hotel room and birthday food, but actually asking us to pay for the gas to drive us around and parking is ridiculous! Especially the measly $6.50! And the fact that it wasn't just $500, but $537.80! They asked us to come visit and then unbeknownst to us the whole time they were tallying up all the things we did to split the cost of everything.
"They came and stayed with us a few years earlier and I certainly didn't give them a tally of the groceries they owed or the gas spent driving them around! You ask someone to stay with you then you pay for things!"
Understandably those on Reddit were equally as baffled with one suggesting she reaches out to her 'friend' and writes: "How about 'Dear Friend, I apologise completely for my oversight. I honestly did not realise that our once close friendship had become a transactional relationship. I am genuinely grateful to you for letting me know.
"In light of this, I have deducted the cost of your stay with us on XXXX date from your recent bill. You therefore owe me $39.25. However, I am not so petty as to demand a sum of money from someone I once held so dear, so please - consider the slate wiped clean. It's honestly the very least I can do. I'd like to wish you much happiness in the years to come.'"
Another wrote: "Personally, I would say 'I didn't realise collecting expenses from guests was an acceptable thing - what a relief! Here is a run down of what YOUR visit cost us, and this amount is your share. I've deducted what we owe YOU, and the balance due is $xxx. Let me know how you would like to handle this!’"
What's your take?
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