Friendships can get complicated when money and favors mix.

In this story, a woman accepted some musical equipment from her friend, who said she wanted to gift it to her.

She had been using the equipment for work since then.

More than a year later, she learned that her friend lost her job and is now asking for the equipment back.

Uh oh! This puts her in a really tough spot. Let’s see how the full story goes.

WIBTA If I didn’t give back a piece of equipment

This is how the situation went. My friend said she wanted to gift me her piece of equipment.

Let’s say it is a music equipment. She was retiring. This was about 1.5 years ago.

At the time she was gifting it to me, she eventually said she needed about $150 for one piece.

She also needed $150 for another piece. This was because she was struggling financially.

I said no problem. I gave it to her. That was the end of that.

This woman started using the equipment in her gigs.

I have been using the equipment ever since.

I have gigs booked for the end of the year this year using the equipment.

I cannot do the gigs without it.

This equipment would cost me approximately 4-6k for all of it.

She received a text from her friend asking for her equipment back.

She texted me today saying she lost her job and has hit financial hardship.

She said she is 5 months sober.

In that time, she realized that she gave away all her valuable equipment to me.

She said she might have to ask for it back to sell it.

Now, she feels like she has been put in a tough spot.

Would I be a jerk for declining? There is one part that I would offer back to her with no problem.

I would even offer to help find alternative forms of income for her.

I can help market her services to my clientele.

However, I feel as though I am being put in a tough spot.

Thanks for the insight. I do not want to lose a friend.

Oh no, that’s a difficult position to be in.

Well, it was given as a gift in the first place, but her friend’s situation now makes it emotional.

Mixing friendship and money can really get messy sometimes.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman who doesn’t want to go to the amusement park with her friend anymore, because the friend can no longer ride most of the attractions.

Let’s read the responses of other people to this story.

Short and simple.

Here’s a similar thought.

Here’s an honest opinion from this user.

This person shares what they would do.

Finally, here’s a harsher one.

A gift given freely shouldn’t come with a return policy later.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a person who abandoned their own D&D campaign when their friends stopped paying attention.