Friend Refusing to Contribute to Group Gift After They Weren't Given a Chance to Sign the Card
A friend was blindsided when their group presented a pricey gift to another friend, then demanded a share of the cost
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Stock photo of friends giving a friend a giftAn anonymous poster is looking for advice via Reddit after they were put in a tough situation regarding a group gift for a friend.
The poster explains that one of their friends recently landed a new job, prompting some members of their friend group to organize a gift.
“I was in the group chat where it got brought up, but I was super busy with studying and didn’t say much,” the poster writes. “I figured they’d update us later.”
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Friends celebrating woman's achievementsHowever, things took an unexpected turn when the group presented their friend with a pair of AirPods Pro and a card — neither of which the poster had been involved in selecting or signing.
To their surprise, one of the group members then sent them a Venmo request for $20 that same evening. When the poster asked what the money was for, the response was short: “The gift, obviously.”
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“I told her I didn’t get to sign the card or even know what they picked, and she said it didn’t matter because I was part of the group and it’s just what we all agreed to,” the poster writes. “But like… I never agreed. I don’t think I was included. I wasn’t even asked…”
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Friends celebrating togetherThis interaction left the poster feeling like she wasn’t originally part of the decision making in the first place, despite being on the text. “I kind of feel like I was treated like an afterthought and still expected to pay,” the poster laments.
Related: 'Dead Broke' Couple Asks Guests to Pay for Their 'Entire Wedding' Instead of Giving Gifts
They're guessing that some of their friends likely coordinated the purchase after class — without informing them.
Since sharing their thoughts on Reddit, the poster has received mixed feedback from commenters, who seem torn on the situation.
“Pay the $20 and message your friend saying, ‘Hope you’re enjoying our gift! Sorry I didn’t get to sign the card,’” one user suggests.
Another writes, “You should have a say in what your money goes to. Being in a group while they make offstage decisions doesn’t automatically rope you into those decisions.”
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