My rich friend keeps footing the bill for pricey dinners and outings I could never afford — is it nuts that I’m starting to resent her for it?

Let’s say, for example, that Jessica and Amanda are in their early 30s and have been friends for years. Jessica has a lot more money than Amanda, though, so she regularly treats Amanda to lavish dinners and expensive outings.

While Amanda appreciates the gesture, she’s also started to become resentful. She’s now wondering if she’s nuts to be mad that Jessica wants to be so giving, and she’s not sure what to do to stop feeling like a charity case without offending Jessica or hurting her feelings.

Fortunately, experts say there are solutions to preserve the friendship.

It’s not unusual to resent a friend who constantly treats you to expensive outings

First things first. Amanda isn’t crazy to resent Jessica’s generosity.

“It’s completely normal to feel aggrieved when a friend consistently covers hefty bills,” Maya Montalto, an associate therapist at Gateway to Solutions, told Moneywise. “It’s uncomfortable to feel like you owe people something financially, or like your friendship is being bought.”

Jessica’s financial success may also make Amanda question her own abilities, which can naturally lead to resentment.

“In my experience as a therapist, most people will feel resentful, and it is not because you don’t like the dinners or think your friend is showing off,” said Silvia M. Dutchevici, president and founder of the Critical Therapy Institute, told Moneywise. “It’s because, as I often say, it’s never just about the money.”

Dutchevici explained that money can be a “stand-in for worth, competence, freedom, power, and control,” so when Jessica pays for an experience Amanda can’t afford, Amanda may feel uncomfortable about her own place in the world.

“All of a sudden, you judge yourself as being less hardworking, less smart than your friend, etc., and that’s because we have been told a myth, namely that becoming rich is within our capabilities rather than shaped by social constructs. We feel shame,” Dutchevici said.

You can maintain a friendship with a money disparity, but it requires effort

While Amanda’s feelings are normal, they could also damage the relationship if Amanda isn’t careful. Fortunately, there are things she can do to manage her feelings. And that starts with some introspection.

“Before assuming the friendship is the problem, I would encourage someone to get curious about what they are actually feeling,” Dr. Lauren Chase, founder of Climbing Hills Counseling, told Moneywise. “Is it jealousy? Embarrassment? Guilt? Feeling indebted? Fear that your lives are becoming too different? Once you can name what is underneath the resentment, it becomes much easier to figure out what you actually need.”

Bisi Gbadamosi, a licensed therapist and founder of Mindful Blooms Counseling, also agrees that Amanda must start by examining her own feelings, and also suggests that Amanda try to reframe her mindset.

“Spend some time getting to the root of the resentment,” Gbadamosi told Moneywise. “Then spend some time thinking about the positive reasons your friend may cover the dinners. Do they value your company and want to be able to enjoy your company? Give yourself a chance to think about why they may be being generous.”