Dilemma: Friend has offered me a free trip with him, but I feel obligated to pay...

My friend planned trip a while ago with his girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend, as of a few weeks ago). Unfortunately, it seems he is stuck with the tickets for the trip. It is a week long vacation to Cancun (I believe), with everything included. Now, although I am a cheap ass at heart, I feel obligated to pay for my half of the trip. At the same time, under normal circumstances, I couldn't justify the price of this trip to myself. Had he not been stuck with these tickets, and had he not recently broken up with his girlfriend, I doubt I would've considered the trip.

He notified me of this trip a couple of days ago (the trip is in less than 3 weeks), and I'm pretty sure, aside from me, there aren't too many other people that would be able to take a week off on such short notice. So it seems like these tickets would go to waste if I decline, and I would still feel bad, as it would also sorta be 'abandoning' a friend after a break up. He never made any sort of indication that he wanted some sort of payment, and I'm sure he would prefer that I go for free, rather than not go at all due to money issues, letting the tickets go to waste.

It is quite possible that he stumbled upon these tickets for free. It was his choice to end the relationship, which makes me wonder why he would plan a trip with someone he was unsure about (especially a trip that seems like it would be pretty costly). If that's the case, I wouldn't feel bad at all, but I don't think I could find this out for sure without committing to pay.

Anyway, I'm not sure what I'm looking for by making this topic. I guess I want to see what some of you CAGs would do in my situation. I mean, a free trip is great and all, but I know it will bug the hell out of me not being able to repay him for it. Even if I could repay him for it, the price of this trip would be hard for me to justify. Basically I'm not going on the trip because it's free, but I wouldn't go if I had to pay (if that makes any sense).

[quote name='dpatel']My friend planned trip a while ago with his girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend, as of a few weeks ago). Unfortunately, it seems he is stuck with the tickets for the trip. It is a week long vacation to Cancun (I believe), with everything included. Now, although I am a cheap ass at heart, I feel obligated to pay for my half of the trip. At the same time, under normal circumstances, I couldn't justify the price of this trip to myself. Had he not been stuck with these tickets, and had he not recently broken up with his girlfriend, I doubt I would've considered the trip.

He notified me of this trip a couple of days ago (the trip is in less than 3 weeks), and I'm pretty sure, aside from me, there aren't too many other people that would be able to take a week off on such short notice. So it seems like these tickets would go to waste if I decline, and I would still feel bad, as it would also sorta be 'abandoning' a friend after a break up. He never made any sort of indication that he wanted some sort of payment, and I'm sure he would prefer that I go for free, rather than not go at all due to money issues, letting the tickets go to waste.

It is quite possible that he stumbled upon these tickets for free. It was his choice to end the relationship, which makes me wonder why he would plan a trip with someone he was unsure about (especially a trip that seems like it would be pretty costly). If that's the case, I wouldn't feel bad at all, but I don't think I could find this out for sure without committing to pay.

Anyway, I'm not sure what I'm looking for by making this topic. I guess I want to see what some of you CAGs would do in my situation. I mean, a free trip is great and all, but I know it will bug the hell out of me not being able to repay him for it. Even if I could repay him for it, the price of this trip would be hard for me to justify. Basically I'm not going on the trip because it's free, but I wouldn't go if I had to pay (if that makes any sense).[/quote]

uh two single straight guys in a week of Cancun....... you know there are going to be plenty of single hot women there too right?

Buy drinks, lots of drinks and pick up a few dinners here and there.

Who knows you might come back with a number of phone numbers/emails/myspace invites/face book invites

[quote name='ITDEFX']uh two single straight guys in a week of Cancun....... you know there are going to be plenty of single hot women there too right?

Buy drinks, lots of drinks and pick up a few dinners here and there.

Who knows you might come back with a number of phone numbers/emails/myspace invites/face book invites [/QUOTE]

Heh.. that's the plan. I'm sure my friend could use it after being in a relationship for so long. I know I could definitely use it

[quote name='dpatel']Heh.. that's the plan. I'm sure my friend could use it after being in a relationship for so long. I know I could definitely use it [/quote]

forgot to mention, your friend will most likely bring up how much he hated his ex when he gets drunk...so be prepared for that.

I second the idea of you buying the drinks and dinner is your payback for the trip.

[quote name='ITDEFX']forgot to mention, your friend will most likely bring up how much he hated his ex when he gets drunk...so be prepared for that.[/QUOTE]

True. It's to be expected I guess. I'm sure we still manage to have a great time though.

[quote name='WeaponX2099']I second the idea of you buying the drinks and dinner is your payback for the trip.[/QUOTE]

Yea, I feel like this is the best I can do. It doesn't feel like enough, but it's a start I guess.

bring your damn camera too!

indeed, drinks and meals would be best, besides, if you stiff him for the tickets, he's still out... so at least do drinks and meals, since he paid the tickets and room probably.

[quote name='xycury']indeed, drinks and meals would be best, besides, if you stiff him for the tickets, he's still out... so at least do drinks and meals, since he paid the tickets and room probably.[/QUOTE]

Yea. If I was sure he could find someone else that would pay to go with him, I'd probably let them go. I'm guessing he couldn't, otherwise he wouldn't have offered me the tickets for free. Either way, he's out the money he paid for the trip, but at least this way he gets to enjoy what he paid for and won't let the trip go to waste and sit at home all bummed out about the break up.

And yes, flight, room, and, I believe, even meals (at the hotel) are taken care of.

Just do what George Carlin suggests in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

[quote name='Strell']Just do what George Carlin suggests in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.[/QUOTE]

Cause you're doing it all wrong. You gotta give the driver a little incentive.

Also, while we're on the topic of Jay and Silent Bob, any movie based on Jay and Silent Bob are gonna lick balls because they both, in fact, lick balls. Motherer. It's time we wrote something back. Type this shit down. All you motherers are gonna pay. You are the ones who are the ball-lickers. We're gonna your mothers while you watch and cry like little whiny bitches. Once we get to Hollywood and find those Miramax s who is makin' this movie, we're gonna make them eat our shit, then shit out our shit, and then eat their shit that's made up of our shit that we made 'em eat. And then all you motherers are next. Love, Jay and Silent Bob. That'll show those s.

Go.

I am going on a trip with my brother and I am spotting him the cash, I could have saved money by going alone but you really do not want to do that going to foreign country and planning heroic feats of drinking.

It is worth it to me to have someone semi-trustworthy and to have a wingman.

Your friend probably feels the same way.

You just gotta love Jay for being the kind of character that he is.

The way I see it... Your buddy planned this trip out with his girl, unfortunately it didn't work out for the both of them. He still wants to go have a good time and for good reason, he's got a girl he needs to get over.

He invited you to be his buddy. To go have a good time, find the single ladies and to help him just take his mind off of the past situation.

Just be straight up and let him know you'll pay for a lot of the minor details while you guys are on vacation, etc.

Now go on vacation and have a damn good time, your buddy needs you or he wouldn't have given you a free ticket to go party with him.

You know he's expecting you to sleep with him, right? Dudes don't pay for vacations unless there's some unwritten understanding of sex involved.

Go and buy drinks and meals and stuff - have fun! Cancun would be awesome right about now...

Cancun rules. I got cheap seats during hurricane season, lucked out and got great weather, and there are plenty of hot women.

They had free food (and drinks!) at the hotel but if you're like me you'll get sick of it - I like the idea of paying for something like waterskiing / seeing Mayan pyramids which can be semi-pricey.

[quote name='javeryh']You know he's expecting you to sleep with him, right? Dudes don't pay for vacations unless there's some unwritten understanding of sex involved.

Go and buy drinks and meals and stuff - have fun! Cancun would be awesome right about now...[/quote]

[quote name='camoor']Cancun rules. I got cheap seats during hurricane season, lucked out and got great weather, and there are plenty of hot women.

They had free food (and drinks!) at the hotel but if you're like me you'll get sick of it - I like the idea of paying for something like waterskiing / seeing Mayan pyramids which can be semi-pricey.[/quote]



you guys are a trip.

He has dibbs on the chicks!

This happened to me before, I had planned a trip with a g/f and her parents decided not to let her go at the last minute (college age at the time). I was stuck with the reservations anyway and tried to find someone else to go with last minute, but no takers. I went anyway since the money was spent, and though it would have been more fun with anyone else, I got some quality alone time.

If he's like me, he feels stuck on the money anyway, so just go with him so he's not going alone.

You could maybe offer to pay for some of the trip OP, not the whole amount he paid if you can't afford that, but offer to pay for some of it.

Otherwise, paying for the occasional drink and meals seems like a good idea as prerviously suggested.

Just remember when you meet two women on the beach, the ugly one is yours.

Oh oh! you get to be the freaken WING MAN!

[quote name='Rollett']Oh oh! you get to be the freaken WING MAN![/quote]
Dude needs a badge!!

I swear it would have to be mandatory to post a picture of you wearing the badge while on vacation with the cheesiest grin ever.

It is mandatory now though that you have to make the badge and wear it at all times.