I'm so thankful for this phrase!

[Ginderette]

A childhood friend, "Sara" who I haven't talked to in twenty years and recently just started very sporadically messaging me via Facebook. I just recently got a message from her wanting 300 dollars for rent that was written in such a poor manner it made my inner grammar nazi die of a brain bleed. I am still in shock and incredibly offended by her request, but the EHell phrase came to mind just in time. 

My reply was simple, "I'm afraid that's not possible in our budget." Didn't bother ripping into her on how incredibly rude her request was to someone who vaguely remembers her or about making requests how smoother things may go over with a bit of punctuation, capitalization, and spell check. But boy, it was hard to resist EvilGinderette on that one!

I wonder though, am I the odd one out thinking asking money from someone you barely talk to is rude? I'm curious to see her response, but I didn't too badly did I?

[DangerMouth]

I think you responded exactly right, and I'm glad you resisted the urge to "rip her a new one". Anyone who is at the point of asking near strangers for rent money is probably already having a much worse day than you are 

[Lindee]

Are you sure this actually came from her? There are a lot of scams and internet hacks about.  If it was her though your answer was perfect.

[katycoo]

Yep - if the grammar is unusual, and the context (ie, if she needed help, you would be an unusual person fro her to ask) I'd immediately suspect she's been hacked.

[boxy]

You might want to check snopes or someplace like that.  I seem to recall hearing about a scam hitting facebook where a long-lost someone appears asking for money. 

[Minmom3]

I tend to think that regardless if it IS your former friend or not, your response was a good and useful one!

[ShadesOfGrey]

um, I dont think you should be so invested in her actually asking you for money. First, it sounds like a scam, and she might have been hacked.  Second, if it isnt, it's likely she sent that same message to several people, and simply sees you as a potential avenue for $$, not as a person, kwim? 

I'd block her, personally.   

[Ginderette]

Just an update of sorts...

After going over the messages she had sent me, the 'request' was written in the same grammar horrific style so chances are that it was legit would be very high. 

Unfortunately DigitalPumpkin, I think you may pointed out the reason why she was so vaguely remembered by me indirectly - my memories of her wasn't of mutual fun times, but oddly enough of having to supply her with something or do something for her growing up. People who tend to be users tend not to be remembered much after they leave the 'stage' by me; curiously made wiser by other instances involving different people made me less inclined to acquiesce their money requests.

So once again, "Sara" gets the stage hook. 

[katycoo]

Given your update, that sounds like a good decision!

[Sootikin]

I defriended and blocked an old friend just last week after paraphrasing this.  She friended me over a year ago, but has never acknowledged me on FB, dispite me commenting on the odd post of hers now and again.  We haven't seen each other in well over 10 years but were pretty good mates back then.   

Then she pops up in my chat window and her second sentence is basically 'we need somewhere to stay if we decide to visit another mutual friend in Europe and decide to trip around the Uk, do you have a spare room?'    At least pretend you want to rekindle our friendship before you sponge off me 

[SoCalVal]

I don't think it's rude but, then again, my own sister tried to borrow money from me a couple of months ago.  We're not on bad terms, but we do barely speak (just for family events; we live about 6-7 hours apart).  I received a text one night asking me for $200 and that she gets paid on 10/29.  I was aghast.  First, she couldn't be bothered to call me.  Second, she didn't even explain what she needed it for.  Finally, I didn't even know if it were her for sure, but I did receive follow-up texts identifying the sender as her (still no guarantee it was her).  I figured if she needed the money that badly, she would call me directly (never happened and I know she's very fond of shopping so it's possible she just wanted to hit a sale or it was never her at all).  However, I'm still not inclined to loan money to anyone not a regular part of my life.  In any case, the only money I had at the time was tied up in my wedding savings, and no one's getting a loan out of that (and it's not just my money but mine and DF's to which we've both been contributing).  We already postponed our wedding one year in order to have more time to save money.  I'm not going to make the situation worse by making our wedding savings an option for loans to others.  I think you were fine.

[bopper]

I hope you defriended Sara.