Real Life MMD: Should I pay the extra money?

Former_MSE_Lee

Please give this MoneySaver the benefit of your advice...

Should I pay the extra money?

I owed a friend some money which they had lent to me. We were going out for diner and I suggested that rather than paying back the money in cash, that I pay for their dinner instead. At the last minute I managed to find a 50% offer for the restaurant. Being pleased with my moneysaving skills I told my friend at dinner. They then said that because the dinner was 50% off, they wanted paying the rest of the money that they were owed but I said that they are getting the dinner at full value (they would never have found the offer) and would have been none the wiser if I hadn't mentioned it. Should I have kept quiet and saved a bit of cash or should I have paid up the extra money to my friend as well as paying for dinner?

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Previous MMDs: View All

svmitche

You should pay what you owe. Regardless of what offer you've found I assume the total after the 50% is not equal to what you borrowed?

If you had kept quiet then you're right no-one would have known, but proudly stating you'd found a coupon does seem to be rubbing your friend's face in it a bit and I'm not surprised they then wanted their money back!

ironlady2022

I think it's a case of the friend agreeing that you paying dinner meant 'calling quits'. If the dinner came to more than borrowed (without discount), would you have footed the bill? If so, then I agree with you, if not then I agree with your friend.

gemmaj

You borrowed real money, and you are trying to repay (in part) with imaginary money. That doesn't add up to me - pay them back the rest.

Bennifred

I think you should pay them back the money. You have already benefitted from the loan, they did you a kindness in the first place, and now you should repay. Getting them a meal "free" is not the same thing at all! It means that you haven't had to make recompense at all - I would be mightily unpleased if you did that to me:mad:

kerrazoo

I agree with the folks above, if you borrowed real money, then the fact that you are saying that you can pay off the dinner with free money doesn't seem to match. I imagine it does seem a bit unfair that if you'd kept quiet you might have got away with it, but your conscience would know that you were not really repaying like for like.

ecudat

You definitely have to pay what you owe.

You found the voucher, so well done, but if you'd have kept quiet you would have been being tight and a bad egg.

As you only paid a certain proportion of what you owe your friend and they have asked you for the rest, you are obliged to pay it!

LittleMrsThrifty

So your friend lends you money but you begrudge sharing a free voucher you've found?

Pay up or next time you'll find your friends much less willing to act as your bank in future.

jetfighter

You should pay back what you still owe her, otherwise it's effectively like taking your friend out for dinner and using the voucher on your own food but not hers. Would you do that? I doubt it. You've got a discount - now pass that discount on to your friend.

Wallsendmark123

Pay the money you still owe thats all i can say really

bulletproof_1979

You've made a rod for your own back.

Your friend agreed to accept the meal in liue of the cash you owed them, so in theory it shouldn't matter what the meal cost you, whether it was greater or smaller than the amount you owed, as your friend is getting what was agreed on. But you made an issue of the fact that it cost you so much less than it should have, so to your mate it looks like you're taking advantage at best, or deliberately set out to cheat him at worst.

What you do now depends on how much you want to keep your mate! If it were me, I think I'd offer to buy the next meal, and wouldn't be all that suprised when my mate orders a fair bit more than usual...