Every year, my friends and I plan a big group trip to a fun destination. This year, it was my turn to organize everything, and I was excited to take on the task. We decided on a beautiful lakeside cabin for a weekend getaway, and everyone was totally on board. The rental cost was $2,000 for the three-night stay, which broke down to $250 per person since there were eight of us.
I booked the rental and paid the full amount upfront, confident that my friends would pay me back as we had agreed. But as the trip got closer, I started getting excuses. First, it was “I’ll get it to you next week,” then “I just need to wait until my next paycheck,” and eventually, some of them just stopped responding to my messages altogether. I was out $2,000 and feeling completely taken advantage of.
I decided it was time to teach them a lesson they wouldn’t forget. Here’s what I did:
The night before we were supposed to leave for the trip, I sent a group message saying I was excited for the weekend and that I’d see everyone at the cabin. I made sure to get there early to set everything up. I stocked the fridge with food and drinks and set up the living room with games and cozy blankets.
But here’s the catch: I took all the food and drinks with me when I left.
I knew they’d be arriving late, and I wanted to make sure they had the full experience of the cabin before realizing something was off. So, I waited until they were on their way, then I sent another message to the group chat saying I had an emergency and wouldn’t be able to make it. I made sure to include that they were still welcome to stay at the cabin and enjoy the weekend.
I also made sure to set up a few surprises for them. I hid the remote controls for the TV and any other electronics, leaving them to figure out how to entertain themselves without any modern conveniences. I also took all the cozy blankets and most of the pillows, leaving just the bare essentials.
When they arrived, they were greeted by an empty cabin, no food or drinks, and no way to contact me since I had conveniently “lost” my phone. They were stuck in a remote location with no way to leave until the weekend was over.
By the time the weekend ended, they were all furious. They blew up my phone with messages and calls, demanding to know where I was and why I had left them stranded. I finally responded with a simple message: “I paid for the cabin, and you didn’t pay me back. Enjoy the weekend.”
After the trip, everyone quickly paid me back their share, plus a little extra for the trouble. They learned their lesson, and our group trips have been much more organized ever since. They didn’t get away with it, and I made sure they’d never take advantage of me again.