Should I keep my promise?

[Anonymous]

I gave my word that I’d help my friend’s poorer family. I said I’d mend old clothes and send them off for my friend’s mum and sisters, as well as sending some ornaments and jewellery boxes. I’ve got them all, however, I don’t have much money for posting things.

should I still help, which I can do if I’m careful with my money? Or should I just send it all down to the secondhand store, or just keep my word with all this stuff, then stop promising stuff to the family? Buying and posting stuff is sending me broke.

[Oliverlogan263]

Hmm, that's a tough one girl. You made a promise to help your friend's family, and keeping your word is really important. But at the same time, you don't want to put yourself in a bad financial situation either.

I can understand why you feel obligated to follow through, especially since you've already collected all the items you said you would. It would suck to let your friend and their family down after making that commitment.

At the same time, you gotta take care of yourself too. If sending all this stuff is sending you broke, that's not good. You can't pour from an empty cup, you know?

Maybe try to find a middle ground. See if you can afford to send at least some of the items you promised, even if it's not everything. That way, you're still keeping your word to some degree. And then you could try to explain the situation to your friend's family - let them know you really want to help, but money is tight right now.

See if they'd be understanding about you needing to scale back a bit. Maybe they could help with the shipping costs or something. Or you could ask your friend if they'd be willing to help transport the items themselves to save on postage.

Whatever you do, don't put yourself in a bad spot financially. Your wellbeing has to come first. But try to fulfill your promise as best you can, even if it's not 100% of what you originally said. Honesty and communication will be key here.

I know it's hard, but try not to be too hard on yourself. You've got a good heart, wanting to help those in need. Just make sure you're taking care of yourself too, girl. Wishing you the best with this!

[Nikki1989]

Explain your budget constraints. Be honest and open about what you can realistically afford. They should understand your situation.