Money Moral Dilemma: Should I lunch with work mates?

neneromanova

I couldn't think of anything worse than spending lunch with work "mates". You work all day with them so need some time to chill out on your own. I'd just say thanks but no thanks.

jizadine

Put in a claim for equal pay. If they can afford it why can't you....!? Then bring in your own butties and retire earlier before them all.. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

johnfwoods

If your boss is anything like the ones that I worked with, s/he is exploiting their power to get a free, or a part paid for, lunch. One boss would turn up early at the restaurant and be on his second drink before we even arrived. Another would have bought a round of drinks for his friends on the tab before we arrived. I have never had the luck to be part of a good lunch team but you may be lucky. However, if you don't enjoy it, just say you are on a special diet and cannot attend.

shellsuit

Tell your boss you have other things to do in your own time.

I wouldn't go, no way. Why would I want to spend even more time with the people who I work with?

And have to pay for it too? No chance.

flutemaster

try being brave and tell them you cant afford it or say you have developed celiacs disease an intolerance to gluten and you have to follow a special diet most restaraunts are unable to facilitate such a requirement

Andew_Hove

You should only go if you want to go, the others could be attempting to impress the boss by going to expensive places, take the lead and pick a weatherspoons!

flapjack_2

I've had this problem several times. There's a lot of points to consider, but the big questions are:
Would it count against you if some jerk of a boss decides you're not a team player?
Can you afford to on your wages? Can you afford not to?
Does it harm your promotion prospects if you don't?
How much do you like your job/ colleagues?
The problem with ducking out of these events in my experience is that some people take it personally if you don't go, and it can lead to being the first to be let go at redundancy time (something which happens regularly in my line of work), or people thinking you're stuck up, or getting passed over for promotion.
Its almost as if you blasphemed against the company if you admit that your work colleagues might not be the first choice of people you want to hang out with in your spare time, let alone if they want you to foot the bill for it.
If you're good with spontaneous excuses about prior commitments, perhaps you can wriggle out of 2 or 3 but sooner or later they'll expect you to show up. So ask yourself, how much do I care about the job and what am I willing to compromise on/ pay for the privilege of keeping it? Have a firm idea of where you draw the line.
I know there are good jobs I might still have now if I'd been prepared to play ball a bit more, though that does sometimes involve pretending you're having fun too.

Robbo1967

I have been in the same position too. Why not suggest that the lunches are restricted to once a month or once every 2 months, as you have other things planned for your lunchtimes and that everyone takes turns in choosing a venue. I said I could'nt afford to do expensive lunches all the time but would be ok to do it a few times a year or special occasions like birthdays, and as it turned out, the others couldn't either! The boss is probably putting his through expenses. If your boss is so keen to have a bonding session with his girls, then he can pay for lunch. The other girls should wise up to him.

sluggy1967

Tell them you have to go home at lunchtime to let your new puppy out!!!!

flapjack_2

Doctor's orders of a strict diet can be one way of ducking out of some of the expense, but don't be caught by your colleagues at a later stage stuffing yourself with hotdogs and mars bars from a burgervan.