How to handle someone dropping out of a trip mid-way

Steps

1. 01

   Don't remove the person from the group

   They're still part of the group's history - they paid for things, they were owed for things. Removing them breaks the historical balance. Just exclude them from new expenses.

2. 02

   Decide the policy for pre-paid commitments

   Villa, ferry passes, package tours: these were paid upfront for the dropout. The group convention is usually 'the dropout still owes for what they pre-committed to' - they got the right to use it, even if they didn't.

3. 03

   Exclude the dropout from forward-going expenses

   On every expense after their departure date, untick them in the split. They're not consuming day 4–7's groceries, transport, or activities.

4. 04

   Compute their final balance and settle immediately

   Don't wait until trip end. Run Settle Up specifically for the dropout - see what they owe or are owed, and settle that day. They'll appreciate not having loose threads.

5. 05

   Send a clear message about the math

   'I've squared us up - €X for the villa pre-pay, €Y for the days you were there. Total: €Z. Sending via Wise.' Concrete numbers prevent later misunderstandings.

Worked example

Dropouts happen. Handle the financial side cleanly within 24 hours; the friendship side takes care of itself.