How to Handle a Sore Spot for Group Travelers: Splitting Expenses From bachelorette trips to family vacations, group travel can cause relationship-ending fallouts. Here's how to navigate difficult conversations about finances. In February 2024, Stasia Maltseva went on a trip through Thailand and Cambodia with a group of six friends, everyone paying in cash and with no system to record expenses.

The cost of street food, souvenirs, group massages and tuk-tuk rides disappeared into an untraceable pit of paper money. They assumed they'd figure out the i.o.u.s when the two-week trip ended. But when it came time to even out the books, no one had the slightest idea how much each person had spent, said Ms. Maltseva, a 36-year-old content manager from Amsterdam.

A huge argument unfolded, she said. One friend was under the impression he was owed well over $200, but with no receipts and differing recollections, the friend went unpaid. It was a battle, Ms. Maltseva said.

We joke about it now. Not all friendships are as forgiving. From bachelorette trips to family vacations and bucket-list trips with friends, group travel can easily give rise to contentious situations, especially over finances.

In a 2026 survey of 2,001 U.S. adults, commissioned by Pay Pal, 46 percent said money disagreements created tension or ruined the vibe on a trip. Another survey from Zelle, the payments platform, of 1,000 U.S. adults, found that consumers often aren't fully repaid for group expenses. This can cause friendship-altering drama, with about a fifth of millennials saying they ended a relationship because of repayment disputes, according to the Zelle survey.

Here's what experts say about why friends get themselves into these uncomfortable situations, and how to de-escalate the drama before it turns into a full-fledged fight. The most common mistake? Not having a candid conversation about spending limits and repayment plans before they start filling out their itinerary, multiple finance and friendship experts said. It starts people off on the back foot because it forces them to have a vulnerable moment about not being able to afford something, said Aja Evans, a New York financial therapist and licensed mental health counselor.

Danielle Bayard Jackson, a friendship coach and the author of Fighting for Our Friendships, said clients have frequently booked sessions with her specifically about navigating the complexities of the group trip. Close friends often skip the detailed planning process, Ms. Jackson said, because of what she called a relationship-killing myth: Friends feel they shouldn't have to explain what they find fun, because they fear that would be evidence that they're not as close as they thought. That fear of misperception intensifies when it comes to money.

If someone makes more or less than their friends, they don't want to be viewed differently because of it, Ms. Jackson said. That can introduce friction into a friend group. We're not as honest and direct as we ought to be before we get into these situations, she said.

For the trip to make it out of the group chat as smoothly as possible, experts suggest finding consensus about total costs, who's willing to pay what and the repayment process. For those struggling to start, Ms. Jackson said to think about the one reason you want to avoid the discussion. Then, use that as the opening sentence and tie it to a goal for the conversation.

One example? Ms. Jackson said: Hey, I don't want to make things awkward, but I feel like we should have a conversation about money, to avoid any misunderstandings or disappointment. For those with a strict budget, it might help to tell the other travelers about the other financial goals or responsibilities you have, Ms. Evans said. That will help them understand that you're not trying to be difficult, but you have other things going on that re.