What to do.

[krystals]

I'd pull out- if you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Perhaps you can go together, another time? You'll enjoy it more anyway as you won't be worried about stepping on anyone's toes. (unless you can't see them, because they're ghosts :P). If it were me, I'd also buy a small gift for my friend, and send my apologies. Maybe also do something that night with the family, whether it's a movie and homemade popcorn night, or whatever, so you don't feel like you're missing out.

[Livinthedream]

I dunno hon, I would be telling Andrew that you cant afford for him to go.
It is her 40th so thats kind of a big deal, and TBH, Andrew is a big boy, I am sure he will get over the dissapointment and he can go another time.
I guess it depends on how close a friend she is, but I would make the effort, and she probably was hoping for a girls nite.
GL


ETA, to be fair, she did give you 3 months notice and you have known for 12 months that the rego would be due, so I dont think that you can really play that card

[Rouge]

I wouldn't go and I'd reorganise the tour with a group of your mutual friends.

If she was hoping for a girls night she shouldn't have said in the first case andrew could come. Sorry but to me it sounds like over the course of 3 months, the plans changed and not only did she not inform you, but didn't inform you of the costs. If I did that to my friends I don't imagine they'd come either. And given that the rego is normally heaps less I understand the financial stress it puts you in. It's not like you just forgot.

Courtesy goes both ways.

[STARRYSKY]

I'd have to agree with most of the op's.

I did the night tour thing at $28, it was quite involved (and freaky) and TBH I was glad to be outta there by the end of it.
They do open days on Sundays too, where you can just wander around where you like, also ghost activity is just as rife in daylight hours!

[Traveller]

I wouldn't go. She was not upfront about the cost (it was reasonable of you to assume that it would be $28 each) and she was not clear that she wanted a girls night only, putting you in an awkward spot. That sort of thing ****es me off so I wouldn't go in principle. But I suppose it depends how good a friend she is.

[Astrolady]

ETA, to be fair, she did give you 3 months notice and you have known for 12 months that the rego would be due, so I dont think that you can really play that card

We usually pay 6mthly on our Rego LTD. When we got our rego bill we discovered that 6mth payment was no longer an option. I have a punching bag post about it. We also have not had 3mths notice about the cost of going. I thought it was just the standard night tour, not through an actual tour group. We only found that out 2 weeks ago.

[Astrolady]

Thanks girls.

If I remember I am going to have a chat to my friend tomorrow and ask her if she has booked the tour as yet. If not I will ask her if she knows you can book it direct with the goal for a lot less. For all I know she might not even been aware that you can do that.

[Freya]

I would not go.......................and then take yourselves for a date there later on and just do the $28 tour

[Jewel]

I would not go.......................and then take yourselves for a date there later on and just do the $28 tour

Same.

[~me~]

I wouldn't go either. For $75 I would be expecting dinner as well and not just 4hrs around the gaol.

I agree with other posters and go on a date with just you and your DH, you would get both of you in and something like afternoon tea for that price.