Not every agreement needs to be written by a lawyer and signed in triplicate. In many cases, a handshake is enough, especially when you’re dealing with someone you’ve known and trusted for years.
But as Reddit user Legal-Importance7999 recently learned, even the people you consider to be family can become surprisingly unpredictable when money enters the picture.
After spending eight months helping build a project car with his buddy, he thought they would split the profit when it was sold. Instead, he was offered pennies while his “friend” planned to use most of the cash to take his girlfriend on a luxury trip.
This man had just lost his friend
Image credits: Adrian Swancar / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
And he was trying to run off with a lot of money, too
Image credits: Jonas Leupe / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Legal-Importance7999
Sadly, losing friends over money is quite common
While it’s an infuriating read, the reality is that such situations are not unheard of. According to LendingTree’s 2025 Friends and Money Report, 41% of Americans admit they’ve had tension with a friend over money, while 36% have had a friendship end because of it. (Interestingly, nearly half of parents with kids under 18 have seen a friendship end for that reason.)
Almost a third (31%) say they’ve felt pressure to keep up with their friends’ spending habits, with Millennials at 41%.
And while our Redditor thought he would get his investment back one way or another, things don't always add up the way they do on paper.
The report found that of the 77% of Americans who’ve lent money to a friend, 19% think it affected their friendship negatively the last time they did, and 32% didn’t get their money back. This explains why 47% of Americans say they wouldn’t loan their best friend $500 if they asked.
Still, pople had a lot to say about the guy getting backstabbed
A few days later, he shared an update on the situation
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: eugeneshemyakin9 / Magnific (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Legal-Importance7999
Friendship breakups can be hard
Licensed marriage and family therapist Angela Sitka, LMFT, suggests talking with someone you trust to help you get over a lost friendship.
She explains that since people don’t always realize the void a friendship breakup can leave, it’s essential to “communicate your needs to others with an open invitation for your loved ones to step up and support you.”
Talking with friends or family members can help you process what happened. You can vent to them and listen to their advice or feedback to help you feel better.
In these situations, it’s probably best to talk with someone who isn’t a mutual friend of the person you’re talking about to avoid unnecessary drama.
Constantly looking at things that remind you of the person can make it harder to move on. Consider boxing up gifts, photos, and anything else that distracts you from the present.
A drained bank account no doubt makes this even rougher, but it's best to try to stay positive and focus on yourself. Prioritizing your physical and emotional well-being will help you move forward more easily and remind you that you can thrive without that particular friendship.
To prioritize self-care, you may want to consider eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, exercising, and setting aside time for your interests and hobbies.
But everyone thinks the guy did the right thing by not settling for $500
