August 17, 2026 at 9:55 am

She Bought Tickets for Her Friend and 3 Kids at Medieval Times—but Refused to Pay for the Friend’s Husband

by Heather Hall

Woman sitting at table thinking

Pexels/Reddit

Paying for a nice outing can get complicated when someone you didn’t invite suddenly wants to come.

One woman ran into that after inviting a close friend and her children to join her family at Medieval Times for her birthday.

Since the friend’s husband was supposed to be working, she bought tickets for everyone else.

Then, the next day, her friend called and said he wanted to come too.

The problem is, the woman can’t stand him and doesn’t want to pay for his ticket.

Read on to see where she’s at with this whole thing.

AITAH for not wanting to spend money on someone I don’t like?

I (36f) have a friend, Mary (42f). We have been friends for about ten years. I cannot stand Mary’s husband, Tim (45m).

His main priorities are playing video games and watching ****. He makes awful financial decisions for the family, and they are suffering because of it. He is an awful husband and mediocre father at best. Mary thinks he walks on water and can do no wrong.

He was out of a job for over a year and refused to collect unemployment because they required him to apply to at least three jobs a week. My husband offered him a job at his company, but Tim refused it because it would mean he would have to wake up at 6:30am. Keep in mind, they were in danger of losing their house.

For her upcoming birthday, they planned a family only celebration.

Tim eventually found a job, but it does not pay well, so they are still struggling financially. Mary is incredibly stressed most of the time.

Now, the main problem is that my birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, and I decided I wanted to go to Medieval Times.

We decided it would be family only. There are 12 people going and we’re paying for everyone.

Knowing Tim would be working, she invited Mary and her three kids.

I thought it would be nice for Mary and her three kids to come and just relax and have fun.

I knew Tim would be working, so I asked Mary and she and the kiddos would like to go, our treat. She said they would absolutely love to, so we bought the tickets.

The next day Mary called to tell me Tim wants to go too. It’s a day/time that I know for a fact he would be working. He does not have any paid time off. If he doesn’t work, he doesn’t get paid. I don’t want him there. I don’t want to pay for him.

WIBTA?

Oh no. That’s quite the dilemma.

Let’s see how the fine folks over at Reddit suggest she handle it.

Tim does sound like that kinda guy.

Tickets 3 She Bought Tickets for Her Friend and 3 Kids at Medieval Times—but Refused to Pay for the Friend’s Husband

This could work.

Tickets 2 She Bought Tickets for Her Friend and 3 Kids at Medieval Times—but Refused to Pay for the Friend’s Husband

It is a tough call.

Tickets 1 She Bought Tickets for Her Friend and 3 Kids at Medieval Times—but Refused to Pay for the Friend’s Husband

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a girl who thinks her family is doing too much in criticizing the tidiness in her small space.

Here’s what this person would say.

Tickets She Bought Tickets for Her Friend and 3 Kids at Medieval Times—but Refused to Pay for the Friend’s Husband

Hey, that’s how it goes sometimes, and she shouldn’t feel bad about it.

After all, she invited Mary and the kids because she wanted to do something nice for them.

That doesn’t mean she suddenly has to pay for someone she never invited in the first place.

And if Tim wants to go that badly, then he can buy his own ticket.

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Heather Hall | Contributing Writer, Life & Drama

Heather Hall is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter specializing in internet culture, workplace conflict, and viral customer service stories. With over a decade of editorial experience in digital publishing, Heather excels at curating trending online discussions and providing insightful commentary on the daily dramas that capture the internet's attention.

Since beginning her career in 2011, she has developed deep expertise in SEO-driven digital content, having written for a wide array of publications covering lifestyle, business, and travel. At TwistedSifter, Heather focuses on synthesizing complex social media threads into engaging, highly readable narratives that highlight the human element of viral news.

When she isn’t analyzing the latest internet discourse, Heather is a dedicated mother of three sons who takes family gaming nights entirely too seriously—whether she is dominating in Mario Kart, exploring The Legend of Zelda, or jumping into Roblox.

Connect with Heather on Facebook and LinkedIn.