How to stick to budget

2 Posts
I'm a student (veterinary nurse) and when I started my course, I told my friend that Christmas will be small this year due to my very small income and we both agreed £10-15 but I've found out she has bought me a gift, my boyfriend a gift, a joint gift for us and a gift for my dog. she is married and ive never bought her husband a gift before apart from for their engagement and wedding and I'm in no position to start to now. I don't know what to do as I feel pressured to now match the number of gifts she has bought. but I really cant afford that. Any suggestions? I feel I should just stick to my budget but I know she wont appreciate it.
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She has chosen to buy gifts for your boyfriend and dog, so that is her decision and you shouldn't feel obligated to buy something for her husband/cat/dog/budgie in return as that was never the agreement.
How do you know she has bought these extra gifts? If it comes up in conversation make sure you let her know, in a light-hearted way, that your budget really doesn't stretch to any more than your original plan and you hope she won't mind that.
Of course it's possible that she has only spent a total of £10-15 on all of you so she's stuck the the agreed budget. Does she like shopping in the pound shops??
What is the point of discussing and agreeing a budget if one person doesn't intend to stick to it and will get annoyed if the other person does?
That sounds crazy!
I would stick to your agreed budget and buy just for her.
Don't stress over it.
If you feel guilty not getting her boyfriend anything why not buy them a joint present with the £10-£15? Something like Prosecco and chocs?
So yes, she has given the OP a surprise but it's an unwelcome surprise.
So - unless the OP's friend has managed to buy 4 gifts for between £10 and £15 which is the agreed budget, not one set arbitrarily by the OP - she has broken the agreement and made the OP feel so uncomfortable that she felt it necessary to post on a public forum.
I really can't see why the OP should rack her brains to do something to make her friend 'happy' when spending between £10 and £15 should have the same effect.