Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

TikToker Sparks Debate After Calling Out People Who Plan Expensive Birthday Dinners

TikToker angers friend when he can't afford birthday dinner
@seanlans/TikTok

TikToker @seanlans put people on blast who go to expensive restaurants for their birthday, forcing their friends to either spend more than they're comfortable with or getting angry with them for opting out.

There's truly no question that the cost of living has gone up exponentially in the last few years, including housing, groceries, gas and other bills. Add to that the stagnancy in hourly wages and salaries, and we've got a big problem on our hands.

Even for people who can still pay their bills, they're likely having to seriously cut corners on other things, like spending any time with friends, family and partners outside of the house, or even participating in a third space or hobby.


TikToker and lifestyle influencer Sean Lans recently found himself falling victim to this when he realized he'd have to basically choose between a week's worth of groceries and paying for his friend's birthday night out.

Rather than pointing at the economy or government, Lans argued that this is an issue with people who choose specifically expensive places to celebrate, like fancy restaurants, high-priced nightclubs and other pricey events.

One of Lans' friends recently invited him and some other friends out for their birthday, including dinner and a closed event after. The cheapest entree on the dinner menu was $41, while the event after was $35, not including the cost of transportation, a birthday gift, a tip for the dinner table and potentially other expenses at the secondary event.

Because the evening was so expensive, Lans decided that he would skip the dinner entirely and join the group for the event after— that way he'd be in a better headspace from not stressing about what he spent, and he'd be able to better celebrate his friend's birthday.

But when he arrived for the event, he realized his friends might not feel the same way.

"When I met them out after dinner, the vibe was clearly off, and a mutual friend told me, 'Yeah, he was talking sh*t all dinner long, complaining that you didn't go.'"
"But I'm sorry, I'm not going to spend the equivalent of a week's worth of groceries on one night out."

You can watch the video here:

@seanlans

Restaurants in new york are so expensive in general it’s actually crazy #nyc #birthdaydinner #storytime #gay #expensive #broke #fyp

Some TikTokers argued that birthdays happen once per year, so splurging on the cost should be doable.

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

But others argued that with the current economy, people need to be mindful of what their loved ones can actually afford to do.

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

@seanlans/TikTok

We all know that prices are at an all-time high, and most people appear to be pretty understanding of that. But there are some who believe that since these events happen once per year or maybe slightly more often, a person should be able to plan ahead and save up for them.

Since people are feeling so divided over it, the moral of the story really is to communicate with friends about your potential plans, and understand that not everyone can afford the things you can.

More from Trending

Kid Rock
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Kid Rock Dragged After Donning A Truly Over-The-Top Outfit For His White House Visit

Singer Kid Rock was slammed for wearing a loud patriotic costume inside the Oval Office as Republican President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday against ticket scalping.

The rocker's outfit consisted of a red, white, and blue jacket emblazoned with two eagles facing each other above the American flag with the number 250, a nod to America's upcoming 250th anniversary, and white stars on his sleeves.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Bill Cassidy
CNBC

MAGA Senator Just Said The Quiet Part Out Loud With Epic Freudian Slip About Medicare

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy was widely mocked following his inconvenient slip of the tongue during a CNBC interview as he mused about finding ways to "cut" Medicare before quickly correcting himself.

The exchange occurred after host Rebecca Quick pressed Louisiana Republican and former physician Bill Cassidy on how his party intended to fund the “trillion-dollar tax cuts” sought by President Donald Trump.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Tim Sheehy
CNN

GOP Senator Gets Blunt Reality Check After Comparing Trump Tariff 'Pain' To Home Renovation

Montana Republican Senator Tim Sheehy was criticized after he tried to compare the "short-term pain" of President Donald Trump's tariffs to home renovation, a claim so ridiculous that CNN's Kaitlan Collins quickly pushed back on the analogy.

Trump has repeatedly referred to April 2 as “Liberation Day,” pledging to impose tariffs—taxes on imports—to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign goods. He has framed these tariffs as “reciprocal,” aiming to match the duties other nations place on American exports.

Keep ReadingShow less
Susan Crawford; Elon Musk
Scott Olson/Getty Images (left and right)

Liberal Wisconsin Judge Calls Out Elon Musk In Victory Speech—And It's Everything

Liberal judge Susan Crawford called out billionaire Elon Musk in her victory speech after winning a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, basking in successfully beating her Republican opponent Brad Schimel and ensuring that the nonpartisan court’s narrow 4-3 liberal majority remains intact despite Musk's efforts to sway the race.

Musk fueled the high-stakes race, having poured more than $20 million into supporting Schimel, according to state campaign records. That includes $3 million to the state Republican Party—$2 million of which was donated just last week. Due to state election laws, large contributions must be funneled through political parties before reaching candidates.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Describe The Worst 'Bonus' They've Ever Gotten At Work

Most of us have worked at one problematic workplace, with reasons ranging from toxic coworkers to terrible bosses to unlivable pay. Sometimes, it feels like a joke that the employees are even being paid at all!

But the biggest joke of all might be the end-of-year bonus, or lack thereof. They're at times so laughable, they take the cake for horrible work conditions, or are quite literally, a slice of cake.

Keep ReadingShow less