I'm glad and appreciate your honesty in making me be clearer. I've edited #5:

Do not intentionally invite “newly met friends” to your home — only to ask them to help foot the bill for the party❧

(Edit: My plea is a direct reference to my anecdote. (1) the host makes the decision to invite someone they do not know well to then communicate later: the cost of all the food will be divided among the invitees, (2) I wanted to contribute something, yet it would have been dutiful to tell me at the onset that it was being organized this way)

So in a nutshell:

If someone wants to host something themselves and invite others - it implies they are choosing to host.

If several people or friends agree at the start that together they want to host and all split the cost or share in bringing items: super too! Just communicated at the start!

Lastly - when you invite people for the very first time - and you send an "invitation" it carries the assumption that the host is the one hosting...so I'm the guest and yeah I'll happily bring something to at least thank you. But to tell me way after the invite (hey btw - we are all splitting the cost of this party) -- that's a never for me.

;-)

Thanks for asking!! Have a super Monday!!