The Birthday Budget

So my best friend is planning a big birthday trip out of town. She picked a pretty expensive destination flights, hotel, activities, everything included and it adds up to way more than I can reasonably afford right now.

I work full time, but my pay mostly covers rent, bills, and saving a little bit each month. The total cost of this trip would wipe out my savings, and honestly, I’d probably end up using my credit card for part of it. That makes me really uncomfortable. The tricky part is that everyone else in our friend group has already agreed to go. They’ve been talking in the group chat nonstop about plans, outfits, restaurants, etc. I’ve kind of stayed quiet because I didn’t want to ruin the mood, but I’m stressing out. I feel like if I say I can’t go, it’ll look like I don’t care about my best friend or that I will get left out of a once in a lifetime memory. At the same time I also don’t think it’s fair for me to go broke over a birthday trip.

I thought about just making an excuse like work won’t let me off but I feel guilty lying. But telling the truth feels like I’ll just be the broke friend or make everyone uncomfortable.

WIBTA if I told my best friend I can’t afford to join the birthday trip, even though everyone else in our circle already said yes?