Real-life MMD: I've won a £100 vch - must I pay for my friends?

bogwart

No, that's not all right. At all. You won £100 and want to share it on a dinner with two friends. And you want them to pay as well?

Your behaviour is, in my opinion, reprehensible. If I was one of the friends you can bet your bottom dollar you'd have one less after that little episode.

Lindylou68

I think the key word here is invite and, whether you have told your friends about the voucher or not, it is an invitation (rather than a suggestion) to go and dine together.

I suspect that the three of you can have a pleasant meal and drinks without having to go over the value of the voucher. I'm sure that your friends would be happy to cover the tip between them in recognition of your generosity in sharing your win.

As several people have said, we're all feeling the pinch these days, but acts of friendship and generosity are well-received and well-remembered (and should make you feel good too!) And that is worth more than a few extra pounds in your pocket and risking upsetting the friends who you have invited to dine with you.

Go eat, enjoy and be merry - after all, it's a free night out you've won, so share the love!

glad2bmad

if you are having "financial problems" why the hell are you thinking of having a meal costing £100. Sell the voucher and take your friends to a cheaper place to eat !!!

suer_2

I agree if you invite friends it's wrong to ask them to pay you & you 'profit' from them. How would you feel if the boot was on the other foot.
Best suggestion sell the voucher if you are skint.

marich

So many of these 'dilemmas' spring from people putting themselves and others into half-baked situations without having thought about it first and not having made things plain to all concerned .

The dilemmas also seem to involve balancing short-term financial advantage against longer-term relationships (flatmates , parents , friends , colleagues , neighbours) .

This example here is so typical that it's probably not worth even talking to them because they don't seem to have any understanding of how others might feel .

How to lose friends fast - invite them to a posh place where you don't normally go but where you've got a prize to share . Then don't share the prize and ask them for their money because you think things are tight for only you .

YOU are what's tight !

fzz33

If you want to spend the voucher only ON yourself, then go to the restaurant BY yourself.

You won it, don't be such a selfish tightwad.

blot_2

I think your friends would be happy to give you the cash while you use the voucher if they know money is a problem for you.
Instead of agonising over it inwardly speak to them about it and you'll know for definite if they ate happy to help you that way if not pick the friends who are understanding and do not expect you to cover their meal to go with you

fatal1955

It all depends on your definition of "friend." Are they the kind you can discuss it with? If they are, and they know how hard up you are, I'm sure they'll understand your dilemma. If you have some reason for wanting to conceal your financial difficulties from them then all you can do is propose that you use the voucher to reduce the bill and split the remainder three ways. If you can't afford to do that then maybe you can't hide your difficulties.

BTW: is the voucher one you can use somewhere where the bill won't come to much more than £100?

tallgirld

I would NEVER invite friends out for dinner and expect them to pay.

The best thing for you to do is go by yourself.

Sorry to sound so harsh but I think it's cheap!

Krissy306

To me it would depend on a few things, do you friends know youv got the voucher? Are you close with them? Is it a restaurant whereby you go up to the bar to pay so it could be done seperatly?