Money is a tricky thing—some people save it carefully, others spend it wisely, and then there are those who, unfortunately, end up wasting it in the most unexpected ways.

Here are a couple of stories about people who lost their money in surprising circumstances.

The Romantic Getaway That Wasn’t So Romantic

“My boyfriend planned a dreamy weekend at a luxury hotel. Everything felt perfect—until it was time to check out. His card got declined, and he turned bright red with embarrassment. Wanting to save the moment, I smiled and paid for everything.

As we were leaving, the receptionist discreetly pulled me aside and said, ‘Be careful, I’ve seen this guy do the same thing with other women. He brings them here, his card gets declined, and they end up covering the bill. You’re being scammed!’

I refused to believe her. We were still in the early days of our relationship, and I trusted him completely—I had no reason not to. But over time, little things started adding up. He conveniently forgot his wallet more often, made me cover shopping trips, and even pressured me into investing in a shady scheme.

That was the final straw. I broke up with him. But to this day, I still think about that hotel stay. It was the first red flag, and I wish I had listened.”

Another story about Love and Money:

The Most Expensive Breakup

A guy I worked with was in a long-distance relationship with a girl he had never met in person. After months of talking, she suddenly announced she could finally fly out to meet him in a month.

The problem? He hadn’t exactly been honest about his living situation. He was still living in his parents’ basement. In a panic, he rushed to get his own apartment.

Not stopping there, he went to a furniture rental store and leased an entire apartment’s worth of furniture—couches, tables, a dining set, a full bedroom suite, a TV. Everything. If you don’t know, rental furniture gets expensive fast.

Finally, she arrived. They went to his beautifully furnished apartment… and that’s when she told him they should break up.

She explained that she didn’t want to do it over text and felt it was only fair to meet him at least once. She stayed for just one night before getting on a plane the next day. As it turned out, her stop in his city was just an extended layover—she was on her way to Europe to tour with friends.

She slept in the rental bed. Then he slept on the rental couch. The next morning, he drove her to the airport in his rental car.

I don’t know how many thousands of dollars he spent on that one breakup date, but man… what a waste.”