Planning a big trip to Hawaii with a friend can be really exciting.

For some parts of the trip, you have to pay for things up front, and that may be non-refundable.

What would you do if your friend canceled on you at the last minute, and you had paid her deposit for a few of the activities?

That is what happened to the friend in this story, and she isn’t sure if she should ask her friend to repay her for those deposits or not.

Let’s read the whole story to decide.

WIBTA if I ask my friend to pay for all the non refundable costs for our canceled vacation (since she canceled last minute).

So, I’ve been planning something fun for my 30th birthday for a handful of months now.

It’s been a rough year with work, dating, and just life events, and Ive always wanted to do something fun for my 30th.

I originally wanted to travel abroad but didnt feel comfortable with COVID still being around.

Hawaii would be amazing.

So, I decided to go to hawaii. I asked a bunch of friends if they wanted to join and one was able to due to money, and time.

She was stoked and took to planning with me right away. We’ve been planning it for 2 months.

I bought books on her recommendation and everything’s been booked for over a month now.

Ok, that’s pretty reasonable.

Last week she called and said she’s going to be looking into home loans and their watching her spending. So, requested we switch vacation rentals and I put it under my name, (it has free cancellation up to a week prior).

Easy enough.

The rental required a 2000 dollar down payment in case we did damaged (my parents were once scammed by a situation like this so I felt uncomfortable choosing this option) or a 75 dollar security fee that I would not get back.

This seems pretty reasonable.

With remembering my parents experience, I opted for the 75 dollar non refundable fee.

We also had booked activities, most I can cancel for both of us for free but a handful I can not. Think around 200ish for both of us.

So, we are set to head out in 10 days.

Wow, that is very little notice.

Until I get a call from my friend today telling me she bought a house this weekend, and can no longer afford the trip.

Beyond being upset about this timing, and trying not to be selfish due to understanding shes making a wonderful life step for herself. I’m pretty hurt, disappointed and also would kind of want to be reimbursed for the costs I can not refund, like the security deposite and some of the activities.

Since she was the one who canceled so last minute WIBTA if I ask her to repay me for those costs?

WIBTA?

Honestly, it isn’t much money in the big scheme of things, and she will still be using the rental I assume. I might ask her to pay for her half of the activities that are not refundable, if it is too late.

Let’s see what the people in the comments on Reddit have to say.

The friend should have been more upfront about things.

This commenter has a good way of looking at it.

Yup, she should ask for the money.

She deserves the money, but may not get it.

This person thinks the friend should pay the money.

Her friend should really volunteer to pay her this money back.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.