The Student Pocket Guide | Money Toxic Friends
by Nathan Wadlow
By now, I am sure you are well aware of the financial strains that unfortunately come with being a student! There have been club nights when you’ve paid your entrance fee with coppers, pre-drinks to which you arrived with three litres of budget cider, a week of surviving on 10p instant noodles, you get the drift…
Even with your new and rather pitiable finances, chances are that whether at college, university or at home you will have money toxic friends, who quite simply are nothing but a sterling nightmare! Perhaps you have been chums for years, or maybe you are one of those people who simply cannot say no, but whatever happens, you are the one giving in and lending money, or forced to spend cash you don’t have. And if this doesn’t apply to you, then you my friend are quite possibly one of those financial irritants! Of course, lending money to your mates is not and should not be an issue. However, it soon becomes one when you don’t get it back! A fiver here and there may not seem like much at the time, but how would you feel dishing out £100 at the start of each year to your mates? If you wouldn’t mind, then get in contact as I’d quite like to be your friend.
So, you’ve been warned, and here are those money toxins!
The Guilt Tripper
We’ve all got one, a friend who really is quite useless with money. Nice enough mate, but perpetually plagued by financial issues. And ironically, even when they do have money, it’s gone within a second. They are the type of person who if you arranged a dinner out would only order a starter, but somehow ends up having a tasty three courser on the behalf of you and your mates!
The Borrower Who never pays it back
Similar to the guilt tripper, this one openly admits they can’t afford things and will happily ‘borrow’. After agreeing a short-term loan it doesn’t take long before you realise that the money you lent to this person could take some time to make its way back into your wallet. The endless promises of how your friend is getting the money and when they are getting it are mere fabrications, and before you know it, you cannot be arsed to chase it up!
The Blagger
A rare breed, but possibly the worst of the lot! This person is an unashamed scrounger who will seek to break you down and suck the pennies out of you. Even if they themselves have a pocket full of cash, they’ll catch you at the bar and blag a drink off you. Rarely will you ever get anything in return, and when that day finally comes around it feels like you have won the lottery!
The Big Spender
The big spender is an indirect cause of you spending money you can’t afford. They are possibly the friend in the group who is a bit better off, or the one who really doesn’t care about how much money they fritter away. With this person you can’t help but feel you should match their outgoings as they are apparently having such a good time, and before you know it, you have been sucked in to spending your last £20 on clubbing and have nothing left to eat! Brilliant.
