How to get your friend to finally pay you back without being rude
Loaning people money is always a slippery slope – even if they’re your friends. One minute it’s, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry I’m out of cash, can you just pay my $20 cover to the club?” The next minute month you’re laying in bed tossing and turning and realizing that you never got that $20 back.
Are you going to be evicted and turned out to the street? Probably not. But do you deserve your $20 back? Hell yes!
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The thing is, asking for money from a friend can be awkward when it’s not in the moment – or when you’ve already asked her multiple times to no avail. You don’t want to come of as “naggy” or cheap, but at the same time, if you knew you wouldn’t get paid back, you probably wouldn’t have loaned her money in the first place.
So, instead of hitting your friend with the fifth “hey girl, do you think you can get me back that $20 tonight?” Or, sending her an unwarranted Venmo request – which will def make her talk shit about you to your mutual friends – just use one of these “legit” excuses.
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1. Your rent is due
We’ve all got bills to pay, and rent comes around once a month so it’s not a bad idea to pin your excuse on that. Just casually text her, “Hi! My rent is due tomorrow and I really need that $40 from last week.” If she seriously doesn’t pay you back, tell her she also owes you the late fee your landlord is going to charge.
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2. You overdrafted on your bank account
This one’s even more dire – if your friend even understands what that means. It makes you sound like a hot mess, sure, but it’ll also (hopefully) get your moolah back. Feel free to blast “Bitch Better Have My Money” as you finally get handed the $10 she owed you.
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3. You owe someone else money
Fight fire with fire, right? Just tell her you owe someone else money, bonus if it’s someone she also knows, because then she may worry that she’s getting thrown under the bus for not paying you back and she’ll cough it up even quicker.
4. You’re about to make a big (but necessary) purchase
Explain to your friend that you’re going to have to splurge on something big and every dollar helps – particularly the $4 you lent her last Wednesday to cover her Unicorn Frap. Obviously, this can’t be a Gucci bag or a trip to Cancun, cuz then she’s definitely going to think you don’t need that measly $4. It has to be something necessary, like a car (although this is hard to lie about), a gift for a friend’s wedding/birthday/whatever, or maybe something you have to “fix” like a broken fridge or AC unit.
5. Bonus: Just make her pay the next time you hang out
An easier way then asking for the money is just making her pay for your shit next time you’re out together (assuming you guys hang out frequently enough). Like, if she owes you $10 from last time you got her Starbucks and you’re out at a bar, tell her to buy your first two drinks (or one if you live in NYC) since she owes you money and clearly has her wallet since she’s buying herself a drink. This is a pretty seamless way to even the playing field, although it can be kind of annoying if you wouldn’t normally buy yourself a drink at the bar or whatever. If that’s the case – revert to steps 1-4.
