Kicking Out Unemployed Friend From Road Trip Sparks Intense Debate On Fairness And Friendship

"He's completely out of cash, and he hasn't even been doordashing at all for the past couple months."

Sophia

• Published in Interesting
• May 15, 2024

When planning trips with friends, like cross-country road adventures, it's important to manage expectations and costs from the start. Sometimes, not everyone has the same financial means, which can create tricky situations.

Like in the story above, a group of friends set out to celebrate milestones, but things got tense when one friend, who was unemployed, couldn't contribute to the costs as expected. This led to a hard conversation about fairness and personal responsibility.

Friendship often means we want to include everyone in our plans, especially when it's a trip we've all been excited about for a while. But financial differences can put a strain on these plans, especially when some friends have saved diligently and others are struggling to contribute.

The tricky part is balancing fairness to those who are saved with compassion for those who can't afford it. Instead of cutting someone out, a solution could be finding creative ways to lessen costs for the entire group or offering an alternative activity.

Ultimately, this kind of dilemma is common among friend groups and requires open communication—people need to be upfront about what they can and can't afford so that nobody feels left out or pressured unfairly. Just take a look at what happened here...

OP and their friends are prepping for a cross-country trip to celebrate graduations. They've sorted out a budget, splitting costs evenly.

One friend (M25), who planned for the trip, is essentially unemployed, living with their parents, and hasn't saved any cash despite being involved in planning.

He couldn't contribute much due to low doordashing earnings, but his mom agreed to cover his expenses for the trip.

They disagreed about using his mom's money, and he decided not to join. Now, OP's wrestling with guilt over excluding him from the trip.

Scroll down to see what people had to say...

Sounds like he's planning a hitchhike on the cash express halfway through. Definitely NTA, OP.

Classic case of wanderlust without the wallet.

No savings, no seat. He's the skipper of a sinking budget ship.

OP's in the responsible lane while he's hitching a ride on Mom's wallet. Definitely not the a-hole here.

OP's honesty hit the brakes on his buddy's freeloading. Looks like his wallet's taking a solo trip. OP's not missing out.

More work or a side hustle could get him back on board. Smooth communication can fix this.

He's skipping the road, aiming for mom's wallet instead. Not the co-pilot material OP needs.

No cash, no trip. OP's not the bank here.

Time for tough love: Stop fueling his freeloader fantasies. He's gotta punch the clock before he hits the road.

If Mom's footing the bill, she's the new sponsor. As long as it's not OP's tab, why fuss?

Not exactly hustling for that highway life, is he? NTA, frustration is warranted.

Sounds like his GPS is set to Drama Avenue. NTA, steering clear of trouble is just smart navigation.

Been down the broken boulevard too many times. NTA, is better to avoid the cash complaints cruise.

Freeloading isn't a friend's sport. Time to switch lanes!

Looks like he's cashing in his mommy's 'get out of responsibility' card. OP's right to see through the field trip facade.

Friendship drives smoother when everyone chips in. Let's all fill our tanks.

Mom's the new road trip angel. OP's just along for the ride.

So, when you're revving up for a road trip with your crew, remember: budgeting is key, and so is honesty. After all, friendships should thrive on shared memories, not split finances. Who knew that the real adventure begins before anyone even hits the gas?

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Sophia