Author Topic: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...  (Read 6481 times)

xclonexclonex

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$13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« on: February 03, 2016, 01:55:06 PM »
Went out for lunch with colleagues. I didn't get anything to eat because I am not feeling so well, but I went for the company as I often do.

Colleague forgot wallet at work, and I picked up her check. Bill was $13. I paid it.

When we got back to the office, she told me she found the wallet, and she will buy me lunch next time. Well, the thing is, we haven't gone to lunch in months...and she is not in the same team as I am. I don't think we are going to hang out anytime soon.

So yeah...I am irritated that she wouldn't just pay me. I will gladly accept the money. I am angry because I didn't have the backbone to just ask for it. I hate these stupid social situations...

Sorry for the rant.

thingamabobs

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2016, 03:23:44 PM »
I would just ask for it, "hey, I'm on a budget and I need that cash for the rest of the week."

xclonexclonex

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2016, 03:34:48 PM »
Eh...I wish I could do that. Its just so awkward to go now and ask for the money...

I should have been smart about this... :(

forumname123

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2016, 03:37:56 PM »
Invite her to lunch tomorrow, then order something double the cost.

To hell with people who create awkward situations like this.

thingamabobs

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2016, 03:48:20 PM »
Ok, well it's your money down the drain I guess.  But you can fix it and you'll feel better about yourself  after you do.

WildJager

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2016, 03:57:46 PM »
Well, in the end it's a good lesson learned about picking up checks/ loaning money in general.  Don't do it if you can't afford for that money to be a gift.  It's kind of sad, but true, that many people don't consider debt an obligation.  Hence the money crisis most people are in, and the existence of this site...

Squirrel away

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2016, 04:33:25 AM »

Colleague forgot wallet at work, and I picked up her check. Bill was $13. I paid it.

When we got back to the office, she told me she found the wallet, and she will buy me lunch next time. Well, the thing is, we haven't gone to lunch in months...and she is not in the same team as I am. I don't think we are going to hang out anytime soon.


I would never say that to a work colleague! She should have paid you back straight away IMO.

former player

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2016, 04:58:06 AM »
You need to put on your big girl/boy panties, go round to your colleague, and say "hey, can I have that $13 now, please?  I've a use for it.  Thanks"

EOS

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2016, 05:46:12 AM »
Send her an email - "Hey!  When are we doing that lunch you owe me?  :)  "


Tjat

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2016, 06:47:37 AM »
How about "Hey, I'm running to the store after work but don't have cash on me. Can I just grab that money you owe me?"

zephyr911

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2016, 06:53:12 AM »
I'll send you the $13 if you take a deep breath, relax, and find joy in the fact that this lifestyle will eventually make you prematurely wealthy and you won't have to worry about money ever again. ;)

Drifterrider

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2016, 11:15:31 AM »
You have learned a relatively inexpensive lesson.  Move on, don't repeat.


Stashaholic

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #12 on: February 04, 2016, 01:09:22 PM »
There's a chance your coworker didn't have cash and was planning to charge it on a CC. It happens to people all the time and the most convenient way for them to pay it back is by just paying for the next round on one ticket with a CC. People can get pretty lazy going to the bank to withdraw cash, especially when it's for $13.

AZDude

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #13 on: February 04, 2016, 02:20:32 PM »
Easy thing to do is just ask the co-worker out for lunch in a week or so, assuming you enjoy the company. Not exactly a stressful situation or anything.

TheAnonOne

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #14 on: February 05, 2016, 01:10:17 PM »
There's a chance your coworker didn't have cash and was planning to charge it on a CC. It happens to people all the time and the most convenient way for them to pay it back is by just paying for the next round on one ticket with a CC. People can get pretty lazy going to the bank to withdraw cash, especially when it's for $13.

Agreed...

You should ask for the money back, if it's bothering you, but $13 is such a small amount that I wouldn't bother. It was a one-time thing...

HairyUpperLip

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #15 on: February 05, 2016, 01:21:22 PM »
Tell her you found something on amazon for $12.99 and you NEED it so you NEED your $13. lol

LiveLean

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #16 on: February 05, 2016, 01:36:06 PM »
The "I don't have my wallet" excuse is one of my pet peeves. It goes back to high school in 1986 when I worked in a video store. If someone didn't have their membership card, they could use their driver's license. If they didn't have their driver's license, we'd accept a military ID (we were next to a base) or even a car registration. (Nobody walked or biked to this store.)

It's amazing how often somebody had none of these items but still expected to rent movies. On a few occasions people got belligerent about it. A store manager intervened at one point and said, "Um, sir, will you be speaking this way if a police officer pulls you over and you have neither a license nor a registration available?"

 

AvisJinx

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #17 on: February 10, 2016, 02:26:57 PM »
Xclonexclonex did she ever pay you back?

Years ago I was in a similar situation. I invited a co-worker to join me for lunch then when it came time to pay she suddenly realized she was broke and promised to buy me lunch next time. Of course "next time" never came. Turns out she did the same to others in the office.



   


TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #18 on: February 10, 2016, 04:21:37 PM »
Xclonexclonex did she ever pay you back?

Years ago I was in a similar situation. I invited a co-worker to join me for lunch then when it came time to pay she suddenly realized she was broke and promised to buy me lunch next time. Of course "next time" never came. Turns out she did the same to others in the office.


I've run into a surprising number of people like that. They're always the "unfortunate, misunderstood, socially-awkward victim" types.

They con their way through the entire office or community, banking on the assumption that other people don't talk to each other. But they always claim to not understand why so many people dislike them or are against them. Then, when people get wise to their ways, they take off for greener pastures with a sob story about how such-and-such a place is just horrible to work at, or such-and-such a group of people is just so bigoted, or mean, or unfair.

I'm a red panda

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2016, 06:47:22 AM »
A store manager intervened at one point and said, "Um, sir, will you be speaking this way if a police officer pulls you over and you have neither a license nor a registration available?"

I've been pulled over when I forgot my wallet. I apologized and the cop let me go and told me to make sure to get the headlight fixed. He was really nice about it. I asked him if I should go home and get it or continue to work, and he told me to go to work because I'd probably already be late.

I imagine there are not too many groups of people who would have the same result, but young white female it worked. They clearly have the information available to them in their car because he asked me if my name was (my name) and had me confirm my address

A friend and I trade off lunches at work. We go out to eat every 3 months or so; but we still trade off and float the difference in the mean time.  But if $13 is a real big deal, the OP shouldn't have agreed to that. At least s/he will remember not to and speak up in the future.

mm1970

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Re: $13 down the drain when I am trying to be on a budget...
« Reply #20 on: February 11, 2016, 09:39:03 AM »
Xclonexclonex did she ever pay you back?

Years ago I was in a similar situation. I invited a co-worker to join me for lunch then when it came time to pay she suddenly realized she was broke and promised to buy me lunch next time. Of course "next time" never came. Turns out she did the same to others in the office.


I've run into a surprising number of people like that. They're always the "unfortunate, misunderstood, socially-awkward victim" types.

They con their way through the entire office or community, banking on the assumption that other people don't talk to each other. But they always claim to not understand why so many people dislike them or are against them. Then, when people get wise to their ways, they take off for greener pastures with a sob story about how such-and-such a place is just horrible to work at, or such-and-such a group of people is just so bigoted, or mean, or unfair.
I worked with a fellow engineer once who - I could never tell if he was like that, an opportunist, or bad at math.

But he would ALWAYS stiff us on the bill.  One time a bunch of us (maybe 5) went to happy hour.  Everyone got a beer - he got two, and one woman got just fries (she was pregnant).

The fries were $2, the beers were more like $3-4.  He throws in a fiver (we all split the fries).  I just said "five bucks, oh no!"  "He says, what?"  "Joe.  Two beers, $3 each is $6, PLUS you had fries, and don't forget the tip!"


 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!