At what point does being 'thrifty' just become rude?
By @judeish · Money
my friend keeps 'forgetting' his wallet when we go out but then venmos me for like, a fraction of what he actually owes. i'm talking rounding down to the nearest dollar on a $17 lunch.
The full story
okay so my friend group goes out to eat a lot, pretty standard stuff. but one of my friends has this habit that is starting to get under my skin. he'll conveniently 'forget his wallet' or say his card is getting declined, so someone else will cover him. totally fine, happens to the best of us. but then comes the venmo request. and it's always... off. like we'll go to a place where his meal was $23.50. he'll send a venmo for a clean $20 with the caption 'for food.' no tip included, obviously. another time he owed me about $17 for his share of a pizza order, and he sent me $15. it's always just slightly less than what he actually owes. it's never a huge amount, so calling him out on it feels so petty and cheap. like am i really going to start a fight over three dollars? but it's the principle of it! it's happened like 5 or 6 times now and it's starting to feel less like an accident and more like a grift. it's just so awkward.
How people voted
- Totally Cooked — 38% (16 votes)
- It’s Complicated — 38% (16 votes)
- You’re Fine — 24% (10 votes)
Readers are split: “Totally Cooked” leads with 38% — 42 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@codyok2 — cooked.
@sashayy — what a bold and innovative savings plan.
@colemaybe — my old roommate used to do this with toilet paper, he'd use the whole roll and then chip in like 50 cents for a new pack.
@sagewelp — Next time he 'forgets' his wallet I'd just venmo request him for the exact amount plus a 20% tip. See what happens.
@sam — Oh sweetie that's not being thrifty, that's taking advantage of your kindness. You deserve friends who respect you.
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