It’s the holiday season, and it’s exhausting to run around buying presents for everyone – especially when you don’t have the money to do so. If you’re looking for a way to lighten your load and save a bit of money on holiday shopping this year, try getting into an intense but temporary fight with a few close friends so you can check them off your list until next year. This is a completely acceptable alternative to telling the truth about your totally normal financial problems! Here’s how:
Make something up about how you liked her boyfriend “first.”
Even though they’ve been dating for two years and you find him to be “too baby-faced” for your tastes, it’s never too late to pretend your friend stole her boyfriend out from under you, that night you both met him at a bar and she clearly hit it off with him. Having this argument is easier than trying to come up with the money to buy her a candle. Just go with it!
Criticize her eating habits.
No one likes their eating habits criticized, especially by someone they consider to be a dear friend that was in their wedding party in 2016. In order to really piss your friend off for the rest of the month, tell her that she’s eating too much, too little, or just kind of eating in a weird and annoying way. Totally worth triggering all of her childhood trauma to not have to explain the absence of a $20 gift!
Act jealous of her other friendships.
This one might be a bit petty, but accusing your friend of spending not enough time with you and too much with another friend is a classic and time-honored mean girl move that will make her wonder why she was ever friends with you in the first place for at least three months. Just lean into the lie that women should always be in competition with one another, instead of finding the words to say you’re broke!
Say she owes you money, and act pissed about it.
Pin your current financial problems on her by saying she owes you money for a drink from six months ago even though you never, ever brought it up. It’ll cause a bigger mess than just admitting you maxed out your credit card on Soulcycle classes, but at least she’ll implicitly understand that you’re under financial duress!
Call her crazy!!
If you’re scrambling to find the pitch perfect fight for your friend and nothing else seems to work, just respond to the last thing she said with, “Whoa, you’re being crazy!” She’ll freak out and you’ll be down one gift!
Buying presents is almost as annoying as admitting you can’t afford to buy presents. Spare yourself the hassle by starting these easy fights with your friends instead!
