DEAR ABBY: I am a member of a small group of women who have traveled together internationally in the last few years. One person in the group searches for accommodations (which she loves to do). Once we agree on the accommodations, this person books the reservations, and we each pay her our share of the lodging. We book our own flights individually.
I needed to back out of a recent trip due to illness and notified the group three months before the scheduled trip. When I asked the members of the group to refund me the money I had already paid toward accommodations and car rental (close to $800), they refused, saying their expenses were now more than they had planned and it was not their fault that I could not go on the trip. They had a difficult time understanding that I am now subsidizing their vacation and why I would want any money returned to me. Am I being greedy? — STAYING HOME IN THE EAST
DEAR STAYING: No, you are not being greedy. You are being taken advantage of, which means you need to give serious consideration to whether you ever want to travel with this bunch again. In the meantime, if you know of anyone who has the travel bug and $800, perhaps you can offer them as a substitute. That way, you get your money back, and the rest of the group gets their vacation without paying extra.
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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.