Money Moral Dilemma: Should I replace my flatmate's fancy bowl - even though she told me not to?

MSE_Kelvin

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

While putting away the dishes, I accidentally dropped a bowl belonging to my flatmate. She told me not to bother replacing it as we have loads of others, but the bowl I smashed was from an expensive ceramics brand, while our other bowls are normal cheap crockery. Yet I still feel bad about it - what would you do?

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TBagpuss

She has told you you don't have to, and she may not have cared much about that particular bowl even if it was from a more expensive brand.
Why not just say to her that you feel bad, and would she rather you replaced the bowl or that you buy something else that she would rather have, at a similar price point? 

Pict_66

Why don’t you enrol both of you into a pottery class. It might be cheaper than the Royal Timothy Doulton you broke.  You can both make a bowl and have a laugh and rid yourself of guilt. 

frankstead

Just think what you would want if it was your bowl and she had broken it. Consider also what she has said and your response. Why not just buy her a treat such as chocolate or a lippo.

claremichelle19792015

Your friend does not sound  like she is bothered. 

Buy and wrap up a plastic bowl as a joke as you won’t be able to break it, it’s cheap, and they will get the sentiment that your sorry xx 

bikaga

I would check in with her and see if she really meant it or if she was just being polite, just make sure there's no crossed wires. Then if she really doesn't want it, and you still feel bad, ask her if you can give her something she might want instead.
Lovely of you to consider her like that by the way I'd totally be the same if I broke something!

Ed264

If you're able to buy another, then go ahead and do so. But if it's expensive and times are hard for you today, I'm sure you can both live without that bowl. But I'm just a bloke, and would never buy an expensive ceramic brand! 

Enjoy your Christmas, with or without a new bowl.

hulc

Trust your friend. Buy a bottle of wine to say sorry. You can even offer to help her drink it - that's the sort of friend you are. And you'll get to know each other a bit better...

Bonnypitlad

I wish replacing a broken bowl was my money dilemma, I imagine many are concerned about being able to pay their share of this month rent and utility bill?
TBagpuss ( the first to respond) gives sensible advice, offer to buy something of similar value if your flat mate really doesn’t want the bowl replaced
Merry Christmas 

witchone

It's just a bowl. As the saying goes...don't cry over spilt milk. Move on.

Jacqu

I'd be secretly devastated if my flatmate dropped one of mine, but I'd say that it didn't need replaced too to try to be poliet/avoid harming our friendship/ because I knew it was an accident. I'd appreciate the bowl being replaced personally, but as other have said maybe she'd like something else instead?