I went to a five-year-old’s birthday party then got a £22.50 bill – everyone’s furious but the mum isn’t backing down
A MUM has hit back after being served a bill after attending a birthday party for a five-year-old with her daughter.
The birthday bash was held in the back garden of the birthday girl’s house where all the kids played games, enjoyed cake and all the usual stuff you’d expect.
But days later the mum was stunned to find out she’d been sent a bill for £22.50 for the pleasure.
Taking to Reddit, one of the mum’s friends explained what happened, she wrote: “My friend immediately called [the birthday girl’s mum] and demanded to know wtf was going on.
“She said that by attending the party my friend agreed to pay for her share of the food and drink. And then said ‘if you turn the invite over it explains everything’.”
Sure enough, there on the back of the invitation was a statement explained that all guests would be expected to cough up some cash to go towards food and drinks.
The statement read: “We want to give the birthday girl the best birthday ever so if you attend we would like your help in paying for the delicious pizza and drinks.
“Don’t worry about paying on the big day we will send an invoice shortly after.”
According to the mum’s friend the request “was printed in a very small font, like almost microscopic and only a few shades darker than the invitation itself.”
“I would have assumed it was a printers address or mark,” she said.
After refusing the pay the fee, the mum then called some of the other parents to see if they got the invoice.
“All of them were furious. No one is paying,” she said.
After a few more days went by the birthday girl’s mum asked why everyone was ignoring the bill, since it was there on the invitations.
Reddit users agreed it was weird to charge parents and kids to attend a party, especailly since it was just in their back garden.
“That poor poor girl, no one will invite her to their parties, go to her parties or even go to her house to play and have dinner. That mum is deluded,” one person commented on the post.
A second agreed: “This comes off as really tacky on the part of the parents.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the the little girl is excluded from invites (in addition to no one attending her parties) due to her parent’s money grab.”
Meanwhile, others were shocked the fee was so high for just pizza and drinks.
One joked: “£22.50 for pizza and juice? Did she fly to Italy to get it?”
And someone else suggested the parents “send an invoice back for the present.”
Average kid's birthday cost for parents
According to a new study from the UK’s leading money-saving brand, Voucher Cloud, has revealed that over two thirds of British parents throw their children a birthday party every single year - and the costs can be high.
- Average spend on party – £320.50
- Average spend on presents – £175.80