Woman's farewell present for a coworker lands her with a $120 bill

Chipping in for a farewell present for a coworker can be awkward at the best of times.
 
It’s tricky to know how much to contribute, or whether you’re close enough to the person for a gift to be necessary in the first place.
 
So spare a thought for the unlucky supermarket worker who offered to treat her colleague to a parting gift, only to wind up with a bill for $120.
 
Sharing the cringe-inducing tale on forum Mumsnet, the 19-year-old explained how a kind gesture during her co-worker’s last shift took an expensive turn.
 
“I do have a gift for her at home (as she didn’t know her leaving date) but I told her to grab a few bits and I’ll treat her,” she wrote.

She was expecting her colleague to buy something small like a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates, but unfortunately her vague instructions came back to bite her.
 
“The shopping came to £72.34 ($AU126)! She then goes ‘thanks so much’,” the poster wrote.

In further comments added to the thread, she explained the woman - a team leader in her 40s - had purchased “a whole bunch” of groceries, including food for her kids. 

As if a $120 bill isn’t eye-watering enough, the teenager only works part-time and is a student, meaning she’s not exactly cashed-up.
 
“Maybe it’s my fault for doing what I did, but don’t you think that’s quite rude?” she asked the folks of Mumsnet.

RELATED: We all need to stand up to bullying in the workplace
 
The response was mixed, with many commenters suggesting it was a strange choice of gift in the first place.
 
“I am sorry but it really was an odd offer. She should not have taken advantage but you did leave yourself wide open,” one responded.
 
“If you wanted her to pick up a bottle of wine and some chocolate why didn’t you just buy it and give it to her rather than asking her to ‘grab a few bits'?” another added.
 
Others questioned why the poster agreed to pay the full amount, considering it was well above what she had in mind.
 
“At no point did you think: 'that looks like a lot of stuff, I better tell her there's a limit'? … I don't understand how this could happen,” one wrote.

WATCH: Simple tricks that'll help you be more assertive. (Post continues.)

LISTEN: Life Bites podcast hosts, journalist Emmy Kubainski and Kirstin Bouse, explore the subtle art of saying no. (Post continues.)

https://omny.fm/shows/9honey-life-bites/boundaries/embed?style=artwork

“You tried to do something lovely and she was just downright rude. She should be ashamed of how grabby she has been.”
 
Reflecting on the responses she received, the original poster also revealed that she had followed up the issue with the former co-worker. She shared a text message from the woman:

"I've tried to take your advice..." she added. "Even though she was being kinda okay about it before this (saying how it seemed like a small shop to her, although "to someone young" she could see how it may have been a lot for me and she was sorry) but then she only goes and says this.

"I'm just annoyed really. I actually got on well with her."

She has not yet revealed whether she got the money.