Generous woman preps a week's meals for financially struggling friend, refuses to deliver after seeing friend’s pricey new tattoo: "She told me she was so broke she couldn't afford to eat"

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Jun 17, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Budgeting doesn't come easily for everyone. Some people are really good at taking advantage of sales and keeping track of their spending habits — some are even so dedicated to the frugal life that they make extensive spreadsheets to plan out their week, month, and even whole year! There are even apps out there than will do all of this for you if you're willing to input the numbers and data. However, everyone has their vices. Plenty of people find themselves overspending on shopping, takeout, and drinks despite attempts at budgeting. Personally, I find it hard to say no to a cute trinket.
In our story today, it seems that a young woman cannot resist spending on tattoos. That's fair; supporting artists by getting artwork that will last a lifetime isn't the worst way to burn money. The issue is that that cash could've gone towards food. Instead, she manipulates her friend into becoming her personal chef.

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  • 01

    AITA for not helping my broke friend because she got a tattoo?

    "I'm always able to scrounge up cash for new tattoos"
    via Michele Piacquadio
  • 02
    One of my friends has been complaining about money a lot recently. It's gotten to the point where two days ago she said that she was so broke she wasn't able to afford to eat and was skipping whole days worth of eating because she just had no food.
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 03
    I felt sympathy because I've struggled a lot with finances, I still do a little bit but not as badly as I used to. Since I'm doing okay enough to right now, I offered to help her out with food.
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 04
    I do a budgeting plan with my meals/meal prep where I use these compartment containers and I'll make 10 portions of 3 different meals every two weeks. I rotate the menu based on what's on sale.
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 05
    Then I put them into my deep freezer. I have adhd and this works really well for me. I have a bit of extra meal stock at the moment because I don't always eat all the prepared trays before I make the next batch since i always do it every two weeks. I have around 25 extra meals in my freezer right now.
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 06
    Since I have extra, I was originally just gonna not meal prep at the start of next week, but instead I decided to offer to drop my friend off some of my surplus so she has something to eat.
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10518283520
    via Lisa Harvath

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    I was gonna drop it off today after work, but right when I was getting off work I was watching Snapchat stories and saw she posted one. She went and got a tattoo today as part of a Friday the 13th flash thing. I'm familiar with the artist who did the
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 09
    tatt because I recognized their flash from their instagram. I was considering going in for one but didn't do it cause I don't really have the extra money rn. They're all pre priced prices and that one is $180
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10518283008
    via Anton from Pexels

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 11
    Idk why but it kinda pmo because she literally just told me about how she was so broke she couldn't afford to eat, but yet was able to pay for a tattoo. When I was struggling financially I def didn't get
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 12
    tattoos. I messaged her about it and asked about how she was able to afford a tattoo and she basically just said "I'm always able to scrounge up cash for new tattoos"
    via u/Addictionsunderstood

  • She definitely calculated this plea to her “friend” because she was eyeing on of those Friday the 13th designs. 

  • 13
    I then told her that I'm not bringing her those meals because if she has enough for a new tattoo, she must not be that desperate. She freaked out on me and called me a b and said I was being classist
    via u/Addictionsunderstood
  • 14
    and that poor people are allowed to have nice things. Which I do agree with, but I feel like it doesn't apply to this situation. But now I feel like an ahle and my friend is mad at me. Aita?
    via u/Addictionsunderstood

  • This isn't about any of that; this is about dishonesty and manipulation. 

  • 15
    Wild Ticket1413 • 3d NTA. If she's "always able to scrounge up cash for new tattoos" she should be able to "scrounge up cash" for food too. It sounds as if she was just giving you a sob story to get something for nothing.
    via u/Wild_Ticket1413
  • 16
    Significant-Half-189 Or she had 180$ put aside for food, but figured she conned OP (and maybe others) into feeding her for the week so she could put the money towards her tattoo? So now she has to find a new way to eat for the week lol NTA obviously
    via u/Significant-Half-189
  • 17
    SpaceCookies72 This is what I thought as well. Friend knew she had food coming so she blew the money she did have on a tattoo.
    via u/SpaceCookies72
  • 18
    If I were OP, I would give the meals and cut the friend off. I'd like to say don't give them and let her figure her own mess out, but personally I can't let someone starve. She made a stupid financial decision, banking on OPs generosity.
    via u/SpaceCookies72
  • 19
    She won't learn anything if you give her the meals, but she is unlikely to learn anything from this anyway. It's not my place to teach people how to make good choices, financial or otherwise, so I don't bother anymore. Friend can take 10 meals and f all the way off.
    via u/SpaceCookies72
  • 20
    Cheezburger Image 10518283264
    via Andrew Poplavsky

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 21
    Downtown-Finish8073 Exactly this. It's one thing to fall on hard times, but it's another to make poor financial decisions and expect others to pick up the slack. You're not a bank with no questions asked.
    via u/Downtown-Finish8073
  • 22
    spambreath Nta. Someone truly broke and struggling doesn't get a tattoo. Those are waaay too expensive for someone allegedly skipping meals. Sounds like she's selectively broke when it benefits her so she can score some freebies and mooch.
    via u/spambreath
  • 23
    ShipComprehensive 543 NTA - she was playing you for free food and empathy.
    via u/ShipComprehensive
  • 24
    WhereWeretheAdults NTA. This is not a friend. This is a manipulator. It's there in her reaction. You, also without a lot of extra money, just got called classist and told poor people are allowed to have nice things. You see the
    via u/WhereWeretheAdults
  • 25
    manipulation there? Since you have something to give her, you aren't poor. Only she is allowed to claim the title and that means she's entitled to your resources. Classic manipulation.
    via u/WhereWeretheAdults
  • 26
    QueenofNighshade NTA. Even if she hadn't gotten the tattoo she seems entitled.
    via u/QueenofNighshade
  • 27
    Sense_Difficult BTA Can almost guarantee you that someone in her family or friends, maybe even a few of them, gave her money to help her out. She's a grifter. She probably had plenty of money for food but not enough for a tattoo. She knows no one is going to lend her money for tattoos so she makes it about a necessity.
    via u/Sense_Difficult

Tags

friendship relationship advice spending broke toxic adulting finance friends relationships tattoos adulthood entitled red flag money entitled people
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