Who loses when someone bails out?

[sparr]

When someone commits to buying a ticket to an event from you, or sharing a hotel room, or riding in your car, when other people also want to, and then they bail, do they still owe you the money? If they tell you they aren't coming a month in advance? A week? A day? During the event? Or if they just don't show up?

Comments

[cos]

If someone agrees to pay (or pay a share) at the time they sign on to the plan, then they owe the money by default, unless I or they find a replacement person. But that's the expectation by default; I can say they don't owe anything (and I very often do, because I have more spare money than most friends), or they can ask if it's okay to cancel and not pay and I can agree.