We all have our group of friends, and sometimes, traditions are formed that last for years. But what happens when a newcomer stirs the pot and threatens to break those traditions? A 26-year-old woman found herself in this exact predicament when her friend’s girlfriend entered the picture. For 12 years, she and her friends have been exchanging group gifts for birthdays with a budget of $20. However, when it came time to buy a present for the new girlfriend, the budget suddenly skyrocketed, and our protagonist was left questioning whether she should pay up or stand her ground.
The Birthday Gift Tradition

Enter the Girlfriend

A Surprise Group Chat

Reluctantly Agreeing to Contribute

The $60 Book Dilemma

Alice’s Offer to Compensate

Standing Up for the Budget ️

Alice Backtracks

The Book Returns

Friends Side with Alice

Taking a Stand

Leaving the Group Chat

Accused of Insensitivity

Was It About Fairness?

To Pay or Not to Pay: The Great Gift Debate
Caught in a whirlwind of birthday gift drama, our protagonist found herself questioning the fairness of breaking their long-standing $20 budget for her friend’s girlfriend. While she was willing to contribute to a gift within the budget, she couldn’t help but feel taken advantage of when the price tag suddenly tripled. As her friends sided with Alice, she decided to take a stand and bow out of the gift-giving altogether, leaving her to face accusations of insensitivity. Was she really being harsh, or was she just trying to maintain a sense of fairness in their group? Let’s see what the internet thinks of this sticky situation…
NTA for not wanting to chip in extra money for gift

NTA. Alice should’ve bought the book herself.

NTA: Rules are rules, but is Leah really a core member?

NTA: Setting a bad precedent with pricey birthday gifts

NTA. Alice’s cheap gift exposes her manipulative intentions.

Alice wants friends to finance pricey gift, but who pays?

NTA, friend’s girlfriend manipulates them into buying her gifts
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Outrageous gift! NTA, ‘thanks but no thanks’ seems appropriate.

“NTA, Alice needs to learn her place in the group.”

NTA! Your friend’s girlfriend wants an expensive gift, not your problem.

NTA- Alice’s girlfriend is trying too hard to be part of the group
![Image credit: [deleted] | [deleted]](https://static.diply.com/8d7c7d73-3c9c-4563-8d2f-ee76951889d0.png)
NTA: Friends should only buy gifts for each other, not partners.

NAH – Group dynamics change over time, spending limits evolve

NTA. Finding a cheaper version is unlikely, but worth trying!

NTA. Point out past partners who never got gifts.

Friend group’s $20 gift budget causes controversy and differing opinions

Standing up for yourself against fake friends.
![Image credit: [deleted] | [deleted]](https://static.diply.com/e175a796-5f4a-4317-b0f0-bb753e509ec7.png)
Gift-giving drama: Cheap friends and excluded partners.

NTA: Friend’s girlfriend expects free money for pricey gift. Good for you for not putting up with this BS!

Alice taking advantage of friends’ generosity.

NTA: Is this relationship on shaky financial ground?

Gift giving should be voluntary, not forced.

Petty but justified: NTA for not giving into girlfriend’s manipulation.

Leah’s gift history under scrutiny. Group gift fairness questioned.

NTA suggests changing gift rules, calls out friends’ hypocrisy.

NTA. Friend asks for crowdfunding gift, girlfriend gets Apple Watch.

Not the a**hole. Who’s paying for the pricey gift?

Last Updated on February 1, 2024 by Diply Social Team