Financial Blog

Nothing feels worse than having to hang up on a friend just because you don’t have enough money for your next gimik. Remember how easy it was back in college? Unplanned road trips, beaches, and hikes—all courtesy of your allowance money. Well now that you’re adults, things just aren’t that simple anymore.

It’s time to deal with the fact that some of your friends may have payslips that dwarf yours (with enough zeros to make you sweat just thinking about it) while you’re living paycheck to paycheck trying to save up for that master’s degree or seed money for your new startup. This difference in spending habits can start a rift in your barkada. No one likes to be rejected over and over again, right?

Read more: 5 Worst Money Mistakes that Millennials Make

However, with the correct approach and hopefully the right set of friends, you can find ways to get over the financial hurdle. Here are some tips in dealing with expensive friends:

You’ve probably overused the “May family event kasi kami e” or “Sorry guys, di ako papayagan” cards by now so it’s time to take a more honest approach. True friends shouldn’t leave you hanging only because you can’t afford a fancy dinner. You may be broke and hapless now but good friends are flexible and will be quick to suggest affordable alternatives like eating at your barkada’s go-to burger joint the next time.

That’s not to say that they should always adjust to you; if you can’t really afford it, then don’t. Don’t get in the way of a major trip and pick your spots on where you can really afford to splurge.

But if everything your barkada does goes over your budget, then maybe it’s time to put on the kuripot practical hat and start suggesting alternatives. If your friends invite you to a trip across Europe that you can’t afford, suggest exploring local cities or islands teeming with just as much culture and beauty. If they invite you to get on their exclusive gym membership, suggest going for a run at least twice a week at the local park.

When you give your friends options instead of refusing to go altogether, they’ll know you care about spending time with them even though you can’t always afford their lifestyle.

Whether you’re shelling out cash for something big or small, the final decision should be up to you and not subject to extremely persuasive peer pressure. For example, if you choose to save up a portion of your income to a high interest savings account or investing in trust funds instead of going on a shopping spree with friends, then you should stand by your decision.

It helps to let your friends in on the reason behind your decisions (who knows, you might even influence them to do the same).

At the end of the day, you can’t reject your barkada everytime. If your friends are planning to go to Hawaii over the summer and you really want to go, don’t be too quick to turn down the invitation only because you don’t have the cash for it now. Save up a portion of your income months in advance. Sometimes, it’s okay to make budget sacrifices for something really valuable such as priceless experiences with friends you’ll treasure 20 years from now.

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