Managing money just on your own can be stressful enough, but when you add other people into the mix, things can get...awkward. So I've rounded up these tricky financial scenarios to see what you would do if they happened to you. Take the poll to see how your opinions stack up:
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1.
Your friend Michael asked to borrow $100 because he's in a jam. He promised to pay you back next week and you have some cash to spare at the moment, but you know he can be unreliable sometimes. What would you do?
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vote votesSay no and tell him that I don't trust him to pay me back.
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vote votesSay no and tell him that I can't spare the cash.
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vote votesLend it to him and hope for the best.
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vote votesGive him the money as a gift and tell him not to worry about paying me back.
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2.
An old friend asks you to be in their wedding party and you accept. But once you talk to them more, you learn they want you to spend thousands of dollars on travel, clothing, and other wedding-related events you can't afford. What would you do?
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vote votesPut all the expenses on a credit card and hope you can pay it off quickly.
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vote votesTell them you can't afford to be in their wedding.
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vote votesAsk if there's a way to stay in their wedding party but skip a few expenses.
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vote votesTell them something came up and you can't be in the wedding.
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3.
You and your roommate agreed to each get your own groceries. It worked out at first, but lately you've noticed that they're eating a lot of your food. Your budget is too tight to feed them too. What would you do?
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vote votesConfront them and tell them to stop eating your stuff.
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vote votesConfront them and ask them to pay you back.
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vote votesStart locking up your groceries in your room.
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vote votesStart using their groceries just like they use yours.
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4.
You're at brunch with your friends Emily and Hanna. They each had two cocktails with the meal, but you only drank water. You asked for separate checks, but the server just brings one. Your friends want to just split it evenly. What would you do?
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vote votesSay no and ask the server if they can separate the check.
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vote votesGo along with whatever the group decides.
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vote votesCalculate everyone's total, put the bill on my card, and have them Venmo me.
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vote votesPay cash for my part and let them split the rest.
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5.
You moved in with your partner and have been splitting all the bills evenly. But then you get a big raise and start making a lot more than they do. Your partner wants to start splitting the bills 70/30, with you paying more. What would you do?
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vote votesAgree to start paying more. It's all "our" money anyway.
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vote votesSay no because you don't want to be taken advantage of.
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vote votesAgree to pay more but quietly resent it.
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vote votesSay "I'll think about it" and hope they never mention it again.
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6.
You're getting a coffee at work when your new coworker Chris asks you how much money you make. They work in a different department and you're pretty sure they get paid a little less than you. What would you do?
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vote votesSay I don't feel comfortable sharing.
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vote votesTell them a range for what people in your role usually make.
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vote votesTell them your salary to be transparent.
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vote votesTry to change the subject real quick.
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7.
You've been doing some photography gigs for extra cash, and your friend asks if you can take some photos for them at a special event. You tell them how much you charge and they say it's too much. How would you reply?
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vote votesTell them your rates are set in stone. You can't pay your rent in experience.
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vote votesOffer a small "friends and family" discount but explain that you can't go lower.
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vote votesAsk them what their budget is and try to compromise.
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vote votesMake an exception for them and take the photos for free.
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8.
A couple weeks ago, you bought your friend Charlie lunch because he forgot his wallet. He promised to pay you back that day, but he still hasn't done it. What would you do?
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vote votesRemind him that he still owes you for the other day.
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vote votesLet it go. It's just lunch.
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vote votes"Forget" your wallet next time you hang out and ask him to cover for you.
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vote votesSend him a Venmo request for the lunch.
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9.
Finally, you get the mail one day and notice that your partner has a couple of letters from collection agencies. They haven't mentioned any money issues to you, but they have seemed a little off lately. What would you do?
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vote votesHand them the letters and don't say anything.
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vote votesAsk what's going on and offer to help.
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vote votesTell them they need to tell you what's going on or you're out.
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vote votesOpen the letters to see for yourself.
Have you ever been in an awkward money situation like these? Tell us all about it in the comments!
And for more stories about life and money, check out the rest of our personal finance posts.