You are going to have to conserve your money to retain the peace in your friendships: some folks are letting the green stuff get in the way of things. And keep in mind, money isn't the only thing that's green: envy can also put up a wall between the two of you. It's up to you to make sure you master the balance between knowing when not to make an issue of it and thinking about it when social events are planned. When in doubt, keep things modest and affordable.