Dealing with friends that well are.... in a word... Cheap

[ScottOKW2K]

I had an friend who would order water with “lots” of lemon. He would then take the sugar packs and make lemon aid. After a few times of that I never ate out with him again.

When I order water or unsweet I ask for lemon on the side. I like the taste and I don't have to fish it out of the drink before I squeeze it. Also, if you have then lemon on the side you will typically have more than one lemon slice, which is useful for when they refill the drink.

 

[ronandannette]

That's what I call "Poor Man's Lemonade".

Since that’s literally the actual recipe for Lemonade (water, lemon juice & sugar) no matter where it’s made, I fixed it for you.

 

[White Cat]

When I order water or unsweet I ask for lemon on the side. I like the taste and I don't have to fish it out of the drink before I squeeze it. Also, if you have then lemon on the side you will typically have more than one lemon slice, which is useful for when they refill the drink.

You must go through a lot of lemons at home.

 

[MomOfDisneyPrincess]

Since that’s literally the actual recipe for Lemonade (water, lemon juice & sugar) no matter where it’s made, I fixed it for you.

Yes, but he got all of his ingredients for free, so doesn't it deserve a special name? No? Maybe not. Oh well, if a restaurant gives you lemons (and water and sugar), make lemonade!

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Wranglers were $12

I wish Wranglers were $12 at my local Walmarts.

@BrianL , I rarely if ever had a problem finding my size at Walmart. 36 x 32 (Technically I'm a 35.25 x 31.666667)

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

I have a family member like this. Wants to piggyback on other's vacations, refuses to do things during them because they cost too much, splits entrees, etc. Most have cut her out of their travel invites because she only drags everyone else down.

I have no problem with being frugal (I am so myself) but imposing on others to help you save money is not part of frugality. I've been actively trying to temper my frugal ways honestly because I earn a decent hourly rate and paying a couple bucks extra to avoid hours of work is worth the investment.

Right now leasing MIGHT make sense if you trade off your cars every three years, at least according to the auto vloggers. They predict people buying a car today and financing it will be underwater in 3 years because of the shortage or new and used cars driving sales prices up. But WHO only keeps a car only three years, LOL.

It's always worth taking a look (if you're buying new) due to how incentives are structured. I remember some of the electric cars having ridiculous lease deals because the manufacturers wanted them off the lots. I wasn't in the market for a car at the time but if I was, I would have considered it.

 

[tvguy]

It's always worth taking a look (if you're buying new) due to how incentives are structured. I remember some of the electric cars having ridiculous lease deals because the manufacturers wanted them off the lots. I wasn't in the market for a car at the time but if I was, I would have considered it.

My son and DIL are on their second electric car. The first, a used Fiat 500e was a bargain, $7,000 for a 2 year old car with 25,000 miles on it. The car sold for $34,000 new, before all the Federal and State tax credits. No such credits if you bought used, so depreciation is horrendous.
And they are in the middle of a Lemon Law case for the Hyundai Kona electric they leased new. Not a cheap lease. There was an issue with the battery. The first fix was a software fix that cut range by 100 miles. Final fix was a new battery. But I can't bash Hyundai. Once my son contacted the manufacturer, they immediately offered to buy him out. His issue was a lousy dealer that waited over 30 days to even order the replacement battery.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

You must go through a lot of lemons at home.

Nope, I buy lemon juice. If restaurants had this I would use it, but I seen very few cases where that was an option. And in almost all cases I'm using the lemon with my tea so I'm not doing it to save money but for flavoring.

 

[kymom99]

I had a neighbor who mooched like that. She was a SAHM and I worked outside of the home, but at night, so I was home in the daytime as well. She was always conveniently running late with errands when our kids would get off the school bus, so she’d call me to ask if I could grab her kids and take them to my house until she got home (which of course meant feeding them snacks as well. She had three kids). I got hip to that quick and stopped answering the phone . No problem if it’s occasional, but when it becomes routine, then yeah I have issues with that.

What did she do about the kids when you didn’t answer?

 

[NoSugarNoCream]

What did she do about the kids when you didn’t answer?

Guess what….she hightailed it home fast enough to get them off the bus (she’d always call about an hour in advance and was always nearby shopping. She’d call me to get them so that she wouldn’t have to cut her shopping short .) Trust, if she hasn’t made it to the bus stop on time, I would have gathered them up…reluctantly

 

[Babs Johnson]

I don't know if that'll necessarily work these days since most credit cards aren't embossed with the number any more.

I would suppose that the supermarket hand wrote the CC numbers down on the forms for those whose cards had “flat” numbers printed on them.

I worked at a store back in the mid 1980’s and we’d occasionally hand write the numbers for a variety of reasons. As long as the customer signed, it was valid.

(We also looked up the numbers in a booklet that Visa and MasterCard sent weekly to see if the cards were on a invalid/stolen list. Of course that list was out of date for recently stolen cards.)

 

[Sugardimples]

I agree with most of the points made in this thread except sharing entrees. We frequently share because we just can’t eat enough to eat two entrees. We don’t want to take leftovers home so if we agree on an entree, we share. We will usually also order an appetizer or soup. We basically order what we want. Sometimes we each want something different so we order two entrees. I don’t see why that should affect anyone else. We also tip heavily.

 

[Babs Johnson]

I agree with most of the points made in this thread except sharing entrees. We frequently share because we just can’t eat enough to eat two entrees. We don’t want to take leftovers home so if we agree on an entree, we share. We will usually also order an appetizer or soup. We basically order what we want. Sometimes we each want something different do we order two entrees. I don’t see why that should affect anyone else. We also tip heavily.

There is nothing wrong with sharing entrees or ordering five of them if you want. Everyone should just pay their proper amount towards the check, not expect others to contribute by splitting the check evenly.

If the established norm in a group is to split evenly or one person pays this time and another the next time, regardless of cost, that’s fine too.

 

[Sugardimples]

I agree. In our circle of friends we ask for separate checks for each couple. It keeps things simple.

 

[LovesTimone]

I agree. In our circle of friends we ask for separate checks for each couple. It keeps things simple.

OP here...

We always have asked for separate checks in our group... and when its just us girls or the guys.... That's just how we roll.

It is so much easier for everyone concerned, including the server who can not remember who ordered what when you throw it all together... Even the couple that I have been discussing they always make sure to always remind the server about the separate checks, and go over their bill with a fine tooth comb before putting out their CC...


I will say sometimes if we are at the bar waiting and sometimes someone will say this rounds on us, and then the next time we are out, you naturally say I got this round, you got them last time...

I'm suppose to have a chat with my friend on Tuesday we are meeting for lunch, I will let you guys know what happens... I really am hoping that things go well, and we can move forward... we will have to see... positive vibes and pixie dust needed...

 

[LovesTimone]

There is nothing wrong with sharing entrees or ordering five of them if you want. Everyone should just pay their proper amount towards the check, not expect others to contribute by splitting the check evenly.

If the established norm in a group is to split evenly or one person pays this time and another the next time, regardless of cost, that’s fine too.

DH and I share stuff all the times, sharing is fine... Not everyone can eat a whole entree, plus sharing is less wasteful. Just tip like you both order an entree'. DH and I will sometimes just have couple of appetizers, or get a appetizer platters, and couple of salads or dessert, or one of each. It's all depending on how hungry we are.

 

[SirDuff]

I was thinking about this thread the other night after an impromptu dinner with friends (two adults and one kid) and friends of theirs (one adult and two kids). Split checks aren’t really a thing here; when the bill came, I suggested that we just split in three (I could see my one friend and other adult also reaching for wallets). They pointed out that they were parties of three and I was a party of one. It had been a pretty simple meal (one person had one beer, otherwise, no drinks) and my meal wasn’t one of the cheapest (not sure if theirs were or not). In the end, they split it in two between them and “treated” me. I’ll be repaying in baked goods.

 

[izzy]

OP here...

We always have asked for separate checks in our group... and when its just us girls or the guys.... That's just how we roll.

It is so much easier for everyone concerned, including the server who can not remember who ordered what when you throw it all together... Even the couple that I have been discussing they always make sure to always remind the server about the separate checks, and go over their bill with a fine tooth comb before putting out their CC...


I will say sometimes if we are at the bar waiting and sometimes someone will say this rounds on us, and then the next time we are out, you naturally say I got this round, you got them last time...

I'm suppose to have a chat with my friend on Tuesday we are meeting for lunch, I will let you guys know what happens... I really am hoping that things go well, and we can move forward... we will have to see... positive vibes and pixie dust needed...

It sounds like these are nice friends who you really value. I hope your talk goes well!

 

[bcla]

I would suppose that the supermarket hand wrote the CC numbers down on the forms for those whose cards had “flat” numbers printed on them.

I worked at a store back in the mid 1980’s and we’d occasionally hand write the numbers for a variety of reasons. As long as the customer signed, it was valid.

(We also looked up the numbers in a booklet that Visa and MasterCard sent weekly to see if the cards were on a invalid/stolen list. Of course that list was out of date for recently stolen cards.)

I’ve dealt with unauthorized charges years ago. More modern was my number stolen and recorded on a blank magnetic strip an used at pay at the pump gas stations in states I’d never been to. But earlier than that was airline tickets called into a travel agent but picked up in person without asking to see the credit card. The travel agent was on the hook for that for not following procedure.

I do remember those books of cancelled numbers in the 70s and 80s. All the way back to (pre-Visa) BankAmericard.

 

[dd316]

Holy smokes! It's OK to be cheap, I myself fit that category. But I'm also respectful of everyone else. I couldn't imagine acting like your friends.

I don't know that I'd initiate a talk with them. Just don't invite them to things and if they invite you, politely decline. Then if they ask "why?" you could get into it and explain how uncomfortable they make you.