A woman’s post about an effortlessly balanced travel budget has gone viral on Threads after she described how trust, rather than spreadsheets, helped her and a friend navigate a monthlong vacation through Europe.
In a June 25 post on Threads that has since garnered almost 100,000 views and over 16,000 likes, @theoliviatati shared a reflection from a trip she took at age 21.
“My best friend and I went on a 4-week trip through Europe,” she wrote. “We were terrible at tracking our money. No spreadsheets, no splitwise, no Venmo requests. We just took turns paying for things whenever it felt right: meals, trains, hostels, gelato. And we figured we’d sort it all out at the end. When we finally sat down to settle up … One of us owed the other 13 cents. That’s it.”
The user added: “I’ll never forget that moment. Because it taught me something big—the best relationships aren’t tit for tat. They’re rooted in kindness, trust, and ease. You’re not keeping score. You’re just showing up for each other, knowing it all balances out in the end.”
The total demand for air travel was reported to be up by 5 percent in May, compared to the same month last year, with a record load factor—the percentage of available seats filled by paying passengers—for international flights in May, International Air Transportation Association (IATA) reported in June.
While the method highlighted in the Threads post is notable for its emotional simplicity, experts told Newsweek that it worked only because both friends shared an unspoken alignment in expectations.
Bobbi Rebell, who is a certified financial planner (CFP) and personal finance expert at CardRates.com, told Newsweek: “I love this story in that the focus is on the friendship and the amazing memories from the trip. Being informal worked for them because neither one took advantage of the situation, and they both spent in a way that worked mutually for their budgets.”
Rebell added, however, that this approach isn’t likely to work in every situation. “The exception does not prove the rule,” she said.
“The challenge is that we have to look forward and plan ahead to set up a system to share costs. The first challenge is that both travelers need to have similar budgets and spending expectations. The next challenge is that one of them might be fine ‘just winging it,’ but the other might want to track more carefully during the trip.”
Rebell added: “In the end, it doesn’t really matter what the budget is, or how it works from an admin point of view during the trip. What matters is that however they are going to deal with financing the trip is discussed clearly and openly ahead of time so they can focus on the fun and the experience of their adventure.”
Debt relief attorney Leslie H. Tayne, founder of Tayne Law Group, echoed the same caution. “Splitting costs with friends on vacation can be tricky,” Tayne told Newsweek. “This post outlines a strong friendship where both parties showed up for one another financially, and, in the end, it really worked out for them. The harsh truth is that this doesn’t always happen.”
Tayne said mismatched financial realities can complicate even the most well-intentioned travel plans. “While one party may have no issues swiping their card for dinner, the other may be gritting their teeth and checking their bank account as soon as they get back to their room,” she added.
“Vacations can be a top contributor when it comes to racking up debt,” Tayne said, advising travelers to set expectations early. “This can help each party prepare and give each traveler peace of mind that they won’t spend beyond the set budget.”
Tayne also recommended tallying up shared expenses throughout the trip rather than leaving it to the end. “Guests could tally costs up at the end of each day or each week, depending on the length of the vacation. This can help provide financial clarity throughout the trip and prevent one party from feeling sided later.”
While not a financial model for everyone, the viral post struck a chord with those who see value in friendships rooted in mutual trust and ease. “If both parties aren’t worried about finances, that is great, and it could work out for them similarly as this post outlines,” Tayne said.
“However, especially in this day and age, finances are an insecurity for many Americans, so making the space to set a budget and welcoming discussions about costs throughout a trip … can help ensure everyone is on the same page.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via email.
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