Personal Finance

When An ‘Expensive Holiday’ Costs More Than Just Money

At first, everything felt exciting. We’d been planning this trip for months – the itinerary, outfits, and even the photo spots. It felt like a dream finally coming true. I thought a holiday with friends would be the perfect escape from work and burnout. But once the trip began, things slowly started to shift. Someone complained about being tired, another got moody because the restaurant didn’t match their taste, and one person conveniently “forgot” to pay their share. Little things that I thought were harmless started to pile up, and most of them had to do with money. Everyone had their own “traveller type”. There was the one who wanted to eat at trendy cafés for every meal, and the one who refused to walk anywhere because it was too hot and preferred taking cabs instead. I tried to go along, thinking, “It’s fine, it’s just a bit extra.” Turns out, it wasn’t just a bit. By day three, both my wallet (and my patience) were wearing thin. But I didn’t want to be that friend – the stingy one who ruins the vibe by bringing up money. So I stayed quiet, pretending I was fine, while secretly calculating how much I’d already overspent. Then someone said, “Hey, what if we upgrade to a nicer room? It’ll be more comfortable!” The room did look great, but the price was ridiculous. I hesitated, and they joked that I was being stingy and needed to “live a little.” That comment stung. I wasn’t stingy, I just didn’t want a holiday I’d still be paying off after getting home. After that, things felt awkward. On the last night, no one talked much. We just sat together in a café, scrolling through our phones, pretending everything was fine. We’d arrived as close friends but went home giving each other the silent treatment. Plus, we had a few unpaid bills. Back home, I was upset for a while. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised we were all just tired, not only physically, but mentally and financially too. I realised I’d been more afraid of missing out on moments with my friends than of admitting I couldn’t keep up, in energy or in spending. Now, if someone asks me to travel again, I still want to go. But this time, I’ll make sure I’m joining because I truly want to, not because I’m scared of being left out. And most importantly, I’ll talk about budgets from the start. Because sometimes, the most expensive part of a trip isn’t the flights or the hotels – it’s the friendships that break along the way. This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics that are unscripted and genuine real accounts from people.