Couple demands non-refundable $1000 back after they pull out of beach vacation because friends wouldn't allow their contagious child to attend: 'She accused us of being greedy and valuing money more than friendship'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
May 19, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

When you're under the weather, it's your responsibility to make sure your germs don't spread. That's something, if we didn't know already, we all learned a few years ago for no reason in particular. You don't want to make other people sick if you can avoid it. It can be hard to skip out on stuff you may have wanted to do, but you know you have to do it. Not to mention, if you're sick enough, you probably don't feel like going anywhere anyway. But what if quite a lot of money was at stake? 

What if you didn't show up somewhere and had to pay the price in a real way for your illness? You might be pretty upset about that. But ultimately that's life and there's not much you can do about it. You have to swallow your pride and do what is best for the group. 

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  • 01

    AITA for not reimbursing my friend after telling her she can't come on our trip?

    I really need some perspective here because I have multiple people telling me I'm the a h le. My partner (30M) and I (29F) are planning a trip with two of our couple friends to a destination a six hour drive away. We booked a super nice AirBnB that was $2,000 per couple total for four nights.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10507543040
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • That's what one couple didn't quite understand as they were about to embark on a friend vacation with two other couples. But when their son fell ill, a son they were planning on bringing, they couldn't quite muster the energy to do the right thing. Read on for the details and see what you think.

  • 03
    We all paid a nonrefundable deposit back in January for $1,000 per couple. We verified with everyone that they were okay with not getting that money back no matter what. We all just paid the last $1,000 per couple as the trip is in a few days.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 04
    We all paid a nonrefundable deposit back in January for $1,000 per couple. We verified with everyone that they were okay with not getting that money back no matter what. We all just paid the last $1,000 per couple as the trip is in a few days.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 05
    For context: Anna (29F) and Kyler (29M) are pregnant with their first baby. Anna has multiple autoimmune diseases and other issues that have made her pregnancy extremely high risk. Morgan (27F) and Danny (29M) have a two-year old son who they were planning on bringing on the trip.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 06
    The situation: Morgan just texted Anna and I to tell us that her son came down with severe Hand Foot and Mouth disease but asked if it was okay for them to still come (and bring their son) on the trip. Morgan is a nurse and knows about Anna's condition, so I was surprised that she asked to bring her son in that condition. They were also unwilling to leave their son behind so it was all of them or nothing.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 07
    Anna and I chatted privately and Anna did not feel comfortable because of her autoimmune issues and high-risk pregnancy. Because of this, we told Morgan that we were no longer comfortable with them coming.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 08
    Morgan immediately came back asking us to Venmo her for the $2,000 they had already spent for the AirBnB. She was very demanding and accusatory, which rubbed me the wrong way.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 09
    I told her I was comfortable sending them the $1,000 refundable part of the cost, but not the $1,000 nonrefundable part because we had all agreed we wouldn't get that back. This would put my partner and I and Anna and Kyler out an extra $500 we weren't planning on for the trip, but I felt like that was fair since they weren't going but had agreed back in January that the $1,000 wasn't refundable and they were okay not getting that back.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 10
    Morgan absolutely lost her shand told us we were selfish and horrible friends. She accused us of being greedy and valuing money more than friendship. She said since we were the ones telling them they couldn't go that we should pay them back for everything they had spent.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 11
    I'm torn. On one hand I get their frustration, on the other hand I feel like this is part of the risk you take when traveling with children. I also do not have kids though, so I don't have the full perspective.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 12
    For context if it matters, we all make about the same amount of money but Morgan and Danny have been struggling financially due to poor financial decisions and excessive debt. So Reddit friends, AITA? Should I just pay the full thing back to them to preserve the friendship?
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 13
    Tl;dr: we won't let our friends with a sick kid come on a group vacation and are only refunding them half of their costs that we agreed were refundable. AITAH? EDIT to answer some FAQs:
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 14
    • The trip was Morgan and Danny's idea, they found the AirBnB and were comfortable with the cost cause Danny had gotten a bonus at work. • All six of us work and make good money. Enough that $2,000 for a trip is not a big deal.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 15
    • The trip is to a beach house where we were planning on spending the whole trip. Anna was comfortable going because we weren't planning on doing things outside of the beach and house. • The trip was originally adults only, but about a month ago Morgan and Danny asked to bring their kid because they would miss him and didn't want to be away from him that long.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 16
    We leave for the trip on Tuesday and their son started showing symptoms yesterday according to Morgan's text.
    via u/glass-stair-hallway
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10507543552
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 18

    Commenters gave their reasonings why they knew she wasn't in the wrong.

    throwaway1975764 22h ago Science is the reason they cannot come. They have a sick and contagious family member. Even without anyone's autoimmune issue or any pregnancy it would be 100% unreasonable for them to attend. NTA
    via u/throwaway1975764
  • 19
    Strong-Log5969 · 22h ago Flip it on them. Tell Morgan that you and Anna can't come because you're uncomfortable with Morgan's sick kid coming. Then ask her to reimburse the $4,000
    via u/Strong-Log5969
  • 20
    Gold_Adhesiveness... • 21h ago NTA. Even if Anna wasn't pregnant who asks to brings their SICK CONTAGIOUS child on a group VACATION. Like I'm sorry but losing money on non refundable trips is just a part of parenting. I can't even count how much money I've lost on missed concerts, missed events, missed reservations as a parent.
    via u/Gold_Adhesiveness_80
  • 21
    I'm disgusted that that they want to drag their contagious child out in public. A h le parenting.
    via u/Gold_Adhesiveness_80
  • 22
    ValleySparkles • 22h ago NTA. Morgan knows it's wrong to bring a sick kid even if everyone else were relatively healthy. That's part of the cost of being a parent - losing deposits on things you can't do because your kid is sick. She was the AH for planning to
    via u/ValleySparkles
  • 23
    bring a sick kid and forcing you to be the decision-maker. If she's invited again, it sounds like you need daycare-style rules for when people need to stay home if they're sick.
    via u/ValleySparkles
  • 24
    EffectiveSet4534 22h ago How is this a couples trip and people are bringing kids? Sicks kids at that? Oof
    via u/EffectiveSet4534
  • 25
    Outside-Plant2860 21h ago "She accused us of being greedy and valuing money more than friendship" sounds like Morgan is projecting since that clearly describes her. NTA
    via u/Outside-Plant2860
  • 26
    wicked-valentina 22h ago Morgan and Danny are struggling financially but they sprang for a trip that cost $2,000 per couple? ? There are WAY cheaper vacations to go on, especially when you're bringing along a child! NTA, though. They sound like very silly people with a history of poor decision making. If you
    via u/wicked-valentina
  • 27
    preserve that friendship it will come back around to bite you in the bot anyway. Counting down to the moment they call you to beg you for a "loan" they won't pay back. If they haven't already.
    via u/wicked-valentina
  • 28
    I_waz_Perce • 22h ago If I had to pay a non refundable $1000, I would have taken out holiday insurance.
    via u/I_waz_Perce
  • 29
    Agile-Top7548 22h ago They're putting this on you, when really THEY should have made the decision to stay home based on the child's disease. Not only is it contagious, its miserable and painful. The last thing their child needs is to be toted around and crying, not eating, et
    via u/Agile-Top7548
  • 30
    If they'd had made that decision, it totally removes any role you have in the financial piece. They are friends and parents. as
    via u/Agile-Top7548

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friendship relationship advice aita vacations drama AITAH best friends kids storytime friends listen to your friends reddit story relationships friend drama parenting friend story reddit thread Reddit discourse vacation conflict
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