Is it rude to let someone pay for your purchases...?

Question

... because you forgot your money?

Say you go to Kmart with a buddy, and you need a few things. You're ready to go to the cashier and pay, and then realize you took your money out of your wallet last night because you went to a party and didn't want to get mugged. You exclaim "I can't believe I did this! I feel so stupid..." and your friend lends you the money, no big deal. You leave Kmart.

But you really need a few things at another store, so you bring your friend across the street and grab a few things. Again, you haven't got any money, so you let your friend buy your stuff, promising you'll pay him/her back later.

You get home, then tally up the receipts and find out how much you owe your friend - should you include tax? You haven't got exact change now, so you write an I.O.U. Was it rude in the first place to let your friend buy your things, then bring him/her to another store after not being able to pay at the first?

I feel like I should add that I was the friend lending money in this situation, not the borrowing friend. I was trying to make the question a little less biased than it would be from a first person POV.

I have the IOU sitting on my desk right now :P

Answer 1

If your friend offered to pay for your items then it's not rude, but if you went to the next store and asked him to pay again, that's pushing it and it's rude. Pay him back (including taxes of course).

Answer 2

A little rude yes. The first one is an honest mistake, most of us have done it. The second place is called "using". They should not be concerned with exact change either. Yes tax is included! You paid it right? If the total amount was 37.72 for example- a simple 40 spot should be proper-to cover for the embarrasment (or at leat round up to the nearest dollar) and to get you a little something in return. What comes around goes around with friends anyway. And no-if they give you more than you gave them like rounding up, they should not expect change later. That would be rude too.
I think so anyway

Answer 3

Was it rude to "let" you pay? It doesn't sound as if you were begging him to let you pay. I can see loaning him some money at the cash register at K-Mart (if I could ever imagine myself at K-Mart, that is . . . ick.) But for him to then go to another store and ask you to fund THAT trip to, KNOWING that he didn't have any money was pretty ballsey.

And YES, he has to repay EVERY CENT -- why on earth wouldn't he repay the tax that YOU paid on his behalf?

I'd be very surprised if you ever saw that money again. An IOU? Why not just hand over the money that "he took out of his wallet last night."

Of course, you're just as much at fault for agreeing to fund the second trip. You could have easily said, "Sorry, no, I don't have enough money. Let's stop by your place so you can get your money."

Next time, keep your purse closed.

Answer 4

you could lend them the money the first time, but if they knowingly go to another store and expect you to pay for their things again, they are probably taking advantage of you. yes, you should include tax when paying someone back in this situation. the IOU is nice, but they should have paid you as soon as they got back. honestly, i'd be surprised if they pay you back at all now. don't buy them anything else until they pay you for these purchases and even then be cautious about loaning them money. you don't want to be considered a "doormat."

Answer 5

Okay the K-mart thing was okay. But then it sounds like you used your friend to get more items. If you forgot then you should of left home gotten it and paid him back and then go to the other store. Now you cant pay him back and yes you should include tax, he paid for that too. by the way the whole lets go buy some more stuff at this store is RUDE!!!

Answer 6

You should have gone ahead and paid your friend and they could have given you the change later...you are the one who owes the money you need to pay it right away.
As long as you were going straight home and going to pay right away then it was fine, but the fact that you wrote the IOU after telling them you would pay them when you got back, that was rude.
I would take them the money first thing in the morning if you can't do it right now!

Answer 7

You were doing borderline until you asked if you should pay the taxes. Why on earth wouldn't you? They were part of the bill your friend paid on your behalf. Then why the IOU? The stores would not have accepted one? How about giving him what you had and letting him give you change. Sounds to me as if you are just a goldbricker and want someone else to pay your way instead of accepting your own responsibilities. Your "friend" ought to dump you fast.

Answer 8

Yes and no. in a way you let it happen on and on and now your in debt to your friend. your iou can be collected and in a court which can destroy your friendship. the first time it happened maybe it was a total accident about the money. but should have gone to the home to get the money and pay him back then go to the other store witih your own money in your wallet. I will suggest paying back the friend as fast as you can and try not to let it happen again.

Answer 9

Well you've got to be pretty tight to let your friend pay for all your groceries and stuff... But if you do do so, I would pay back more than he/she lent me. To leave and IOU because you haven't got the exact change makes you look cheap.

Answer 10

You went too far when you brought your friend across the street to pay for more purchases with you.

A good friend will gladly pay for your items when you suddenly remember you've forgotten your money at the register.

But a good friend would never ask for more money or more purchases.

And a good friend repays his debt as soon as he returns to home and to his forgotten money....ALL OF THE DEBT INCLUDING TAX. If correct change isn't at hand, a good friend overpays as a way of saying thanks for the loan.