Woman Refuses to Be Guilt-Tripped When Friend Expects Her Entire Birthday Dinner Paid for: '[It] was shockingly expensive'

There's nothing better than gathering a group of girlfriends for a girl dinner. It's a universal cure for whatever life throws at you. Whether it's celebrating a win, venting about a bad week, or just catching up, something about a meal shared with your favorite people makes everything feel a little lighter. And when it's someone's birthday, that's all the excuse you need to pick a spot, dress up, and toast to the guest of honor. 

Of course, the joy of having a close-knit group of girlfriends can come with a price—literally. Between birthdays, weddings, baby showers, and just-because outings, it all adds up. My group of six girlfriends keeps things sweet and simple: for birthdays, we all write heartfelt notes in one card, filled with our favorite memories and inside jokes. For me, those words are more meaningful than any gift they could buy. But not everyone shares the same idea of birthday etiquette, which brings us to this dinner story. Let's just say it's one birthday dinner that didn't end with cake and laughs. Keep reading for the tea.