Dear Amy: My daughter is going to be celebrating her quinceanera this summer.
I am divorced from her mom, who has re-married and is extremely comfortable financially.
I do not begrudge her this and am happy for her new life.
To put it into perspective, she’s bought a new home, put a pool in, traveled all around the country, etc.
On the other hand, things are very tight for me moneywise, and this costly celebration will put a strain on me.
While I’m happy to split most costs of the extravaganza 50-50 (as I should), I am only going to have about a dozen people present, while my ex-wife will have nearly 100.
My family drinks very little alcohol, while my ex’s friends and family are known to go overboard in this area.
I fear the alcohol portion of the bill is going to be astronomical, and I am not convinced I should be expected to pay half of it.
I was curious if you agree with me and how I may go about approaching this with her so as not to ruffle feathers.
— High and Dry
Dear High and Dry: You should meet with your ex and her husband, and the three of you should go over the details and the related costs.
You must be honest about your personal limit, and also offer to find ways to cut costs. You might be able to raise additional funds from your daughter’s padrinos and madrinas.
