How much do you live on per month?

Aesop

depends on the expiry date. We are going to go in April. Yes, I subscribe to Prezzo and Ask, as they are my favourite restaurants pre DS.

ani_26

Ah yes. Sorry they are for this week only, and expire today, but they usually do them on their website. x

Souk08

There are always deals on Martins email and Pizza Express is usually one of them Aesop.

I love to eat out and so do my friends and there is never any mickey taking with us, but I guess it's different with big groups. I'd just put the money that I owe down and not entertain any other ideas! I dont know if people always mean to take the !!!! with the bill, I guess some people just assume that everyone has the same budget as them but it's still annoying.

OrkneyStar

This thread is really interesting...Lucy are you feeling any better knowing that there are people who understand where you are coming from, even if we haven't all met in 'real life' lol ?
TBH I got fed up with the whole 'lunch out' thing (popular in my old lab) as I also hated:
1. being told what I could choose and often having to decide a week in advance
2. waiting ages for order as huge group always took longer, even if pre-ordered
3. having to pay for everyone else's wine
4. being though of as sad for not drinking or stingy for not joining in a kitty.......
lol maybe I am sad but I am happy too, if that makes sense.
I wasn't really skint or in debt at the time, just trying to budget!

Danni-R

Its slightly OT but I have a friend who earns twice as much as the rest of us who when we go out is so funny over the bill. But when we do go out there is probably only £1 variation between all the shares if we work out what we've all had. But (and this is where I get a little bit annoyed) if she's drinking 'its just easier' to split the bill. Most the time we dont drink or those that drink go to the bar and buy it seperately. Money and friends is a strange one.

jaffacakegal

I agree with the only paying for what you have had BUT I think there is a case of taking it two far! I used to live with someone at uni who would split what she had off the bill and work out to the penny what she owed, no tip. Meaning the rest of us had to pay the tip between us - usually just splitting and taking off a couple of pounds if someone had less drink or cheaper meal.

I also went on holiday with someone who would pick a main course for say 10 euros. Then when the bill came she would say "Right heres my 10 euros..." Never mind the two drinks and dessert she'd had, plus a tip! Me and my other friend wised up to this about 3 days in when we ran outta money and she still had loads even though she'd brought less!

Money + friendships = hard work!

Lucy1010

I really want to speak up about the bill, but I can just see it now.... silent glares from all of them whilst I sink into my chair with utter embarrassment...and I am not the shy type!

I just cant bear the thought of it, no one has ever asked to pay for their own meal and I have worked with these people for years. It's not like they are just colleagues, we are friends too. I just feel I ought to pay whatever it is that is asked of me and shut up. In future I will make my excuses or only attend if my budget allows. I hate the thought of them talking about me behind my back, I can hear it now.... "well if she hadn't spent all her money on smoking bla bla bla" .... "we all have bills bla bla bla...." "how petty is she... bla bla bla"



p.s I have stopped smoking, I tripped up the other day but I am back on form again.

7roland8

It's not like they are just colleagues, we are friends too. I just feel I ought to pay whatever it is that is asked of me

Actually if they are friends would they wnat you to be agonising over this? And would you feel any the less for one f them f they asked to pay their own? Perhaps others feel as you do but don't have hte courage to speak up.
In the big scheme of things what will it matter? In a few yrs time many may have moved on anyway and yu'll have lost ocntact - so why worry.

Danni-R

I echo what 7roland8 says.

If they were friends then it wouldnt be an issue. I know that there are a group of very close friends that things like this arent important. we all earn roughly the same (or at least have the same disposables).

Yes you might have smoked but then every one has something that if they wanted to they could cut out/ down on. Dont let them judge you. Thats what their doing and I know I'm now judging them but its not what friends do.

Aesop

7roland8 wrote: »

Actually if they are friends would they wnat you to be agonising over this? And would you feel any the less for one f them f they asked to pay their own? Perhaps others feel as you do but don't have hte courage to speak up.

I was just thinking that. Real friends understand. My friend had her 30th birthday and Dinner was £25 per head, plus getting there and back and drinks. I just told her I couldn't afford it, and bought her a nice card and "glitch" pressie. She didn't need to know the glitch bit. But she understood. At the time she was working and earning money.

Now she is on maternity leave, she understands why I kept saying I couldn't afford to do things.