How to Split Expenses on a Group Trip Without Fighting

In February 2024, Stasia Maltseva went on a trip through Thailand and Cambodia with a group of six friends, everyone paying in cash and with no system to record expenses.

The cost of street food, souvenirs, group massages and tuk-tuk rides disappeared into an untraceable pit of paper money. They assumed they’d figure out the i.o.u.s when the two-week trip ended. But when it came time to even out the books, “no one had the slightest idea” how much each person had spent, said Ms. Maltseva, a 36-year-old content manager from Amsterdam.

A huge argument unfolded, she said. One friend was under the impression he was owed well over $200, but with no receipts and differing recollections, the friend went unpaid.

“It was a battle,” Ms. Maltseva said. “We joke about it now.”

Not all friendships are as forgiving. From bachelorette trips to family vacations and bucket-list trips with friends, group travel can easily give rise to contentious situations, especially over finances.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/22/travel/group-trip-expenses-splitting-costs.html