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Redditor Refuses To Buy Friend Newest Phone Model After Accidentally Destroying Her Old One

Firmbee/Pixabay

Destruction of property is such a divisive issue.

No matter the size of the destruction, it can cause drama amongst even the deepest of personal relationships.

When you screw up another person’s belongings, hopefully by accident, a situation will follow.

Case in point…

Redditor Informal-Luck-9895 to discuss their story for some feedback. So naturally they came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.

They asked:

“AITA for refusing to buy the newest phone after destroying the one of my friend?”

The Original Poster (OP) explained:

“Okay basically I destroyed my friend’s phone.”

“I’m not pretending I didn’t, I’m fully owning up to that.”

“I spilled a bottle of Coca Cola, she had her phone on the table – the rest is history.”

“We directly put the phone into rice and left it there for 24h.”

“In the mean time I gave her an old phone (ZTE) I had laying around here. “

“Which admittedly is crappy, but it was just so she can phone and text until the next day.”

“Well, her phone was totally done for. We called an ’emergency’ hotline and they basically just told us ‘Yep, that’s ruined.'”

“Since again this is 100% my fault I offered to buy her a new phone.”

“However she had an iPhone 7 and at least where I live, you can’t buy them in the Apple Store anymore.”

“So the only solution was either getting a refurbished one or buy a different phone.”

“My friend didn’t wanna get a used phone, which I can kinda understand (even tho I have a refurbished phone and it works perfectly).”

“But she then demanded I buy her the newest iPhone (13 Pro).”

“Her reasoning: She bought the iPhone 7 when it was the newest phone and even worked a student job to get the money for it.”

“I understand that when she bought her phone it was the newest, but the 13 pro is so much more expensive then the 7 ever was.”

“I just don’t have the money, tbh. I also don’t think it’s fair to demand so much more than what I ‘destroyed.”

“I knew she was saving up for it anyways, so I offered that in the new year I can give her the rest of the money that she needs to buy it herself.”

“Which she also refused because a) She doesn’t have to pay herself for a replacement of what I destroyed.”

“And b) That means she has to go two weeks with this sh***y phone.”

“I told her that no matter what, she would get her new phone in the New Year anyways, which she got mad at.”

“I’m getting paid on the 1st and in January I have to repay electricity for the whole year and need money for that too, so I cant have any big spendings until I know the amount of owed money.”

“And because it’s Christmas soon, I spent most of my money for this month already.”

“She is extremely mad at me for refusing to buy her the newest iPhone and only getting her a new phone in January.”

“In her mind, I broke her phone so I owe her a brand new replacement NOW.”

“But I don’t think that’s fair.”

First of all, she is asking for much more than what I destroyed.”

“Secondly, I cant pay her NOW because I need the money literally for bills.”

“AITA here?”

Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA?:

  • NTA – Not The A**hole
  • YTA – You’re The A**hole
  • NAH – No A**holes Here
  • ESH – Everyone Sucks Here

Redditors declared our OP was NOT the A**hole. 

It’s a tricky situation.

Let’s hear some thoughts…

“NTA. If I total my car, insurance isn’t going to pay me the cost of the newest, shiniest model; they’re going to pay market value for the one I lost.”

“You only owe her the market value of an iPhone7 ($125-$200 USD according to a quick Google search I did).”  ~ athomefarfromhome

“I’d say technically OP owes her the value of a 5-year-old iPhone 7, but if you only offered that I’d think you’re the AH (insurance companies are AHS generally, IMO).”

“Morally it’s more like the trade-in value that Apple would be the target.”

“A refurbished iPhone 7 would be very generous, but I don’t think that would be what she’d want, given that she’s saving up for a new phone.”

“In the end though, you can’t get blood from a stone. If you have renter’s or homeowner’s insurance, it’s possible that they’d cover things like this, but it’s unlikely to be over your deductible.”  ~ Trini1113

“Asking for the latest iPhone is her running a scam on OP.”

“Make you offer for either a refurbished iPhone 7 or for the money her phone was worth so she can put it towards any newer phone she wants since was wanting to replace this phone anyway.”

“And make that offer via text in case this gets messy.”

“That part is very important as she may very well try to slander you after this and this would offer some protection, as well as provide evidence if she tried to take it further.”

“OP is a generous and good person for automatically offering to replace the phone and provide a back up phone for her to use in the mean time. Don’t be scammed OP.”  ~ 30flips

“Yep! NTA.”

“You offered several alternatives to make good on an honest accident.”

“She doesn’t seem like a great friend, tbh.”

“If possible write a $200 check (yes, I know but listen): if she cashes it she accepts your offer. If she doesn’t cash it you’re not out any money.”  ~ 102030pancakes

“If iphone 7 isn’t on the market, look for an iPhone 8 close in size and memory.”

“Replace what you broke as close as you can.”

“Buying her a 13 is ridiculous, but if she wants cash you would pay for an 8, around $300.”

“$125-200 seems too low because that’s the price she could sell or trade it in for, but the phone wasn’t for sale.”  ~ Intelligent_Stop5564

“NTA. She is asking for far more than what you are liable for.”

“The difference between the 7 and the 13 when they are both new it’s like $300-$500, and with your current financial situation would ruin you.”

“It’s selfish of her to use your honest mistake as a free pass to buy a new phone for free. Drop the friend, that’s toxic behavior.”  ~ Sharp5hooter02

Our OP listened intently to all of you and…

“EDIT: That got much more attention than I thought it would lol. But anyways, thank you all for your advice.”

“This morning I sent her a message (since you all said I should send a message so I have proof) offering her a refurbished 7 or the money amount of a refurbished phone.”

“Again, she wasn’t happy about that offer but I was persistent and said that’s all I will give her and she is free to keep (and sell) the phone I got her as a replacement right now.”

“(Isn’t much, probably around 50€). I told her I don’t owe her the newest phone and she can’t guilt trip me into buying it for her.”

“I think she understood that I’m not getting pressured by her, so she chose the money.”

“I will try to get into contact with my insurance to see if I will get money from them, and then just send her 200€ when I have them in January.”

“Again, as most of you suggested, I also don’t think that after I sent her the money, I will have any more contact with her.”

“Thank you all for the help!”

And again, Reddit comes to the rescue.

These types of situations are difficult to assess, and can cause permanent rifts in relationships.

Let’s hope these two reach an amicable understanding.