What is your MSE bug bear?

tomstickland

Regarding splitting of bills, as long as you make clear what you want to do at the start then it's fine for some to pay for what they have and others to split.
Personally I believe that the money is to pay for the pleasure of eating together, regardless of what was eaten. Hence I'm happy with an equal split and I don't bother watching exactly what everyone has. As long as you don't have someone who sees it as an opportunity to have an expensive meal on the cheap, it works fine.

Lemon_Tree

i hate being told i'm money grabbing because i refused the initial salary offer when i moved to where i am (take a pay cut? i don't think so!) i am also money grabbing because i reclaim the expenses i incure as soon as possible, i know my balances to the penny, i won't join the tea fund ( i only drink water ????? why am i wrong to not want to pay £5 a month for nothing?). I shop around for bargains and mention them to others to help them, but this all makes me a money grabbing witch according to some.

Turtle

I think I might have already said this in the thread but the meal splitting thing really is huge to me. I always try and say up front that I'd like to pay for what I've had but there's only certain people I feel comfortable doing this with. If not I know there's always someone who will order the most expensive stuff then be the first to say 'oh are we just splitting the bill then'? It really does make my blood boil and I can't help lying awake in bed afterwards constantly working out how much more I've paid than I needed to! This once happened when I went out for a meal from work with my team as someone was leaving. The leaving person was in a huff the next day and it transpired they had complained they 'were about £10 out of pocket' when they'd had steak and a couple of glasses of red (costing nearly £7 each) when I'd had chicken and mineral water. Couldn't believe it! Can feel my blood pressure rising all over again...

skint_spice

another thing...warning - rant ahead! it's the attitudes toward debt, I've come clean with most folk and said I'm counting the pennies as I want to clear my debts in order to afford a bigger mortgage but a lot of people give me a lecture on how "everyone is in debt" and ask why I feel the need to pay it off. Guess when I move to MFW I had better keep it quiet...

Lemon_Tree

had to just add about being annoyed as well with the splitting bills in resturants, i don't drink and always only go for one course to save money. Now i get around it by being the first to get the bill, and putting my bit in saying, "there's my share of the bill". If people want to share it after that then feel free but i'm not going to pay for their alcohol any more or their mega expensive dishes.

marksandsparksgal

Another vote here for suggesting quidco and the free bingo to people and them ignoring it.

Also as I am studying abroad I have been trying to hammer it into my friend's head that getting euros out on her normal bank card is not only a rubbish rate but she is getting charged a fee everytime she does. However, in our 2 month hol when we were back in England, did she open a Nationwide a/c? Did she heck. And then she moans she gets charged about 4quid everytime she uses her card.

*rolls eyes*

choccyface2006

My bug bear is people that buy what they want not what they need or what they owe, like my sister, she owes my mum & dad a fortune, needs 4 new tyres on her car as they are vitually bald and new brake pads and shoes, she can't find the money for them but can always find money for a new outfit from Next and a trolly full of stuff from Ikea while my mum is counting every penny wondering if she'll ever get her money back.

marksandsparksgal

Oh also another vote for Lidl, Aldi & Netto. Since these are the only shops where I live, I live off them, and they're brilliant. This will continue when I go back to England. No more Tesco for me!

supersavershal

My bugbear is the snobbery that exists, I work with people who find the idea of freecycle appalling, they want to know how I can have second hand items off strangers (I had an exercise bike).They also believe there must be a catch with quidco and you shouldnt trust the internet.
Lots of my workmates bought big 4 bed new build houses before the property slow down and the credit crunch.None of them prepared for coming off fixed rates and are struggling with negative equity, SVR mortgages, and paying their 125% mortgages.When they bought these big new builds in magnolia cities they looked down their noses at me and questioned why I stayed in my 3 bed, 1 garage house when I should have bought a four bed, double garage mortgaged to the hilt shiny new home in magnolia city.
They are also snobs regarding holidays, they go to places like the maldives, sri lanka and florida and feel sorry for me because I usually go to majorca etc and this year im not going anywhere, poor you they say, are things tight, I just say it would be a pain going abroad with a 1yr old and I wouldnt get to relax.I was also looked down upon because I only ever went half board and didnt go all inclusive.
Another bugbear is DS school, they always want money for something.I dont mind school trips but they do lots of sponsored events.The last one was to grow a sunflower to raise money for myasthenia gravis - I dont know anyone with this condition and DS did not know what it was, apparantly the teacher had an aunt with it.They also have no uniform days when I am expected to pay for my son to wear his own clothes, then there is eggs to be donated at easter, selection boxes to be donated at christmas and then you are expected to attend the bingos to win the things you have donated.

Princess_Jane

LOL loving this thread.

I have been really lucky with friends and family.

I've converted OH and lil sis to the MSE way and pals are always full of praise for my debt-busting efforts.

They've got used to me crying off nights off as I'm too knackered through working two jobs, and are always amazed by the things I can sell on ebay.

What bugs me is people who buy rounds of drinks on their CC. I never believed anyone would actually do this, but have seen friends stick a night out on the plastic.

I'm there shouting: "Noooo, don't do it."