You went out with a friend to grab lunch, seems they forgot their wallet back at home, so they ask that you sort out their bill. You even end up paying for the most expensive meal on the menu. They promise to pay back soon, but it’s been some time, and you’ve not heard a word from your friend. That is so wrong! You need to get paid back ASAP!

Asking for your hard-earned money back can be really awkward and complicated, but deep down you need that dough. What is the best way to ask for your money without being impolite and above all, get your money back?

Politely ask 

The person may have totally forgotten about the money owed and might need a nudge or reminder. Remember the person took a step by asking you for money; hence, there is also nothing wrong with asking for it back. At the end of a conversation, you can simply say something like; “Oh, do you remember the money you asked for back at the mall? Can you send it to my Barter account since it will not include charges?” Always remember the sooner you ask for your money, the less weird it will be and try not to get too confrontational.

Make it easy to pay back.

Try to make it easy for them to pay back by encouraging them to use an app like Barter. It can accept different payment methods and you receive the money instantly. Taking back the money in cash will require you to meet up, which will involve transportation costs and time-wasting.

Offer a convenient payment plan.

Once you realize the person is struggling to pay back, you can offer a flexible payment plan. They may be unable to pay the entire sum at a go so a payment plan will be suitable for the person to cover the full payment in a period of time. Using apps like Barter will keep records of money received from the person in order not to get confused and stay on track with the amount received from time to time.

Request money from the person through Barter

Barter offers a feature that allows you to request money from others on the app. The way it works is that you can input the amount you want as well as what the money is meant for after you must have put in the person’s number or email address. You then put in your pin and like that your request is sent. Click here for the step by step process of how to request money via Barter.

Avoid letting time go by

The longer you take to ask for your money back or take action, the more awkward and stressful it will be. The person might tend to forget about the money owed and continue living their normal lives stress-free. Do not feel bad to ask for your money soon after lending it. It is your money, it deserves to come back home.

Published by Owuraku Ohene Ampadu-Kissi

Product marketer