[ea1228]

I built a strong friendship with a guy who I met when we worked at a fast food restaurant in 2011. We became fast friends, went through a lot together and we basically alcoholics together. During these two years I spent a lot of time and money on him. Earlier this summer I agreed to add him to a family plan to help him get a better phone. A smart phone. He's always owned a cheap prepaid cell and never had unlimited messaging or calling.. and that annoyed the heck out of me so I asked if he wants I would open a line for him and we agreed on what his monthly payments would be. He didn't pay one cent of the phone so I disconnected his line 3 months later. I am now stuck with this bill for the next two years. My question is.. should I sue him? I've already told him I forgive him through Facebook and he keeps ignoring my messages. I ask him how he's doing-still no response.

This is pissing me off because this has been the longest we've ever stopped talking. Its happened twice before. He disappears out of my life then comes back and I have helped him so much. I never expected him to pay me back for other things I would do for him, like giving him a place to stay after he got out of jail, giving him money, and heck even drug/ alcohol money. But the phone thing was an agreement and I want to sue him. I am afraid I will absolutely lose him if I do.

Does anyone have any advice or experience on this? I guess the fundamental issue here is; I am mourning the loss of a friendship, he owes me money. What should I do about it?

[talaniman]

I would wash my hands of him and say good riddance. The money is the price you pay for making dumb choice of friends.

And you still want to be friends with this deadbeat loser? Now that's sort of crazy. He probably found another fool to use. He is who he is, but you no longer should fall for his BS. He is a lousy choice for a friend.

Don't mean to be harsh, you are probably a good person that deserves better, and I hope you let him go.

[Oliver2011]

"I am mourning the loss of a friendship, he owes me money. What should I do about it?"

Or are you using the owed money as a means to stay in touch with him?

Read what you posted. Giving him money, jail, drugs, alcohol, etc - all reasons to not be friends. Friends are such a luxury to have but only friends that you pick wisely. You didn't in this case. You allowed yourself to be used. Consider it a learning experience, a learning experience that you are now paying for. Learning experiences are not bad unless you don't learn from them.

There comes a point in a phone contract where the amount to get out of the contract (or one phone line on the contract) is less than the amount you owe for the contract. So you are probably stuck for 18 months only.

[joypulv]

Ditto, ditto, AND suing him probably won't get you a dime, even if you win (which you won't without a written agreement). The court doesn't collect for you if he doesn't pay, and tons of people don't pay. So you are out the filing fee, which in most states is about $50.

[ea1228]

I appreciate all of your answers. Time to move on... no I absolutely am not using the money as a means to stay in touch-that would just ruin whatever we have going on. A lot of people don't ever pay? Justice does not get served then. I want to sue because. Him, he owes me money. Lesson learned.