Real-life MMD: Should I be let off houseshare cash for a week?

Brian_Steele

I think you should tell them how you feel and why and that you should not put the initial £10 in, but there is no way of keeping tabs on what happened in the past so from then on I think you should join in.

When I was at university, everything bought for joint use was written up on a board, as were all communal monies spent by individuals. Every now and again we would sit down, do the maths and work out who was in credit and who was in debit and hand over cash accordingly. Think this is better than a communal money pot, as that is not secure from "borrowing" or from visitors.

sarah_loobylou

Pay up. They obviously haven't noticed so perhaps they have been buying things as well which you haven't noticed?

But... my flatmate and I used to do something different...

Anytime we made a communal purchase, we used to write our names on the top of the receipt and put it into a jar and split the cost at the end of the month.

More often than not, no-one owed anyone anything!

crogers

gloriouslyhappy wrote: »

Absolutely - big sigh of relief, pay up, keep a record of who's paid, what it's spent on and keep the receipts, and then enjoy the new more organised household.

Here's to better communications and hassle-free house-mate relationships!

I so agree. Why suddenly decide it's an issue anyway-you should have spoken up at the beginning.

lady47

I would probably ask who they thought paid for these items in the past?
And is there going to be any recompense for you in that regard, then be grateful that they are now all paying there share.

miriamm

I don't know why you didn't just organise a kitty yourself long ago rather than paying for things if you weren't happy about it. Since you didn't though, it's a bit late now to try and do something about it!

It sounds as though your housemates have done the sensible thing. I'd put the £10 in and be happy that it's going to be fairer from now on.

Definitely have a clear agreement though about what the kitty covers, who's in charge of it and how the money is accounted for.

moneysavingpat

Dont pay into the kitty at all. Buy your own stuff as and when you need it. You will find that a couple of house mates will pay into the kitty to start with then they will start to miss paying in to the kitty. They will come out with all sorts of excuses as to why they cant pay in this week etc.
Most house mates/students are a bunch of scroungers/free loaders. so avoid any future hassle and just buy your own stuff. Its a "dog eat dog" world we live in now, so my advice is look after number 1.

Sazzie23

gloriouslyhappy wrote: »

Absolutely - big sigh of relief, pay up, keep a record of who's paid, what it's spent on and keep the receipts, and then enjoy the new more organised household.

Here's to better communications and hassle-free house-mate relationships!

Definitely agree, pay now savings in long run,ngood luck

tallgirld

It sounds as if you chose to buy these things in the past no one asked you to.

Therefore I would say pay the £10 and just be glad that everyone will now be contributing.

darren_lane

Now everyone is chipping in you're quids in anyway.
What's gone is gone.
Look to the future.

John_Pierpoint

I ran a kitty like this for two years as the banker with 3 - 4 other blokes.The secret is to get ahead of expenditure and buy the basics.
Provided you all agree to muck in and prepare each other's evening meals, it self evidently spreads the load.

We had communal home brewed beer, a massive curry made at the weekend, Salads plated amd in the fridge, a powerful home made Bolognaise ready for the 15 mins of boiling spaghetti, cheese both mouse trap and agreed luxury, plus the usual staples of bread, milk spuds. Everything was agreed weekly and purchased by a 1/2 hour visit to a large Lidl type supermarket and then at lunchtime 1/2 hour visit to a Sainsbury to get what was on special offer or unavailable at the supermarket that sold off pallets.

It also covered the electric and in winter the heating bill (paraffin jerry-can from a cheap garage) all for £5 a week. in a four lettable-room house, which cost about £40 a month paid seperately.

No prizes but anyone want to guess the town and the year.

Much better than trying to padlock your individual fridge and having rows about "who used my butter".

Only drawback was the situation where someone on a break felt entitled to stuff their face at lunch time too, fortunately we all had jobs where the employer subsidised the mid day meal - that dates it..