^I agree with this! But, it’s not necessarily a bad thing; just the way people interact.

It is a very subtle thing of how to know when to accept and how to reciprocate, or when that is not necessary.

Sometimes, someone will do something for you and say you don’t need to pay, but they want to feel appreciated, so a little gift may make them happy.

Sometimes you need to make very clear that you are paying for something you want, like the burger, so they don’t think they are getting the bill.

Sometimes when I go out with friends, we either get separate checks or split the bill, or I’ll pay this time and then you pay next time. I’ve asked the waiter for separate checks when going out with several couples. It feels awkward, but then nobody resents whoever ordered more.

You can definitely refuse a favor from someone when you don’t trust their motives, or when you don’t want to feel obligated in any way.

But, I think, to generally refuse help, as a rule, isn’t a great thing to do either. Trusting and accepting help to a point is healthy, so is being trusted and helping others.