Q: How do you handle a friend who is constantly doing you the “favour” of buying you books, accessories and cleaning products that she “knows you will love” and yet you don’t? It’s like she is in some pyramid scheme pushing these things, only she is not selling them, she is buying them for me!
I know her heart is in the right place, but it always either makes me feel like I have an assignment (like reading a book she likes) or that I’m not good enough.
A: If you know her heart is in the right place, your job is a lot easier. Tell her you love her thoughtfulness and appreciate how much she wants to share her interests with you, but that you don’t want her wasting her money.
Tell her you don’t always get a chance to use the products she gives because of lack of time/existing habits/personal style/loyalty to other products/your very sporadically enforced anti-consumerism. Make it clear that you truly prefer she doesn’t do it – and if she keeps up, feel free to donate the loot.
