Who’s Paying for Coffee?
February 16, 2013
Whenever you invite someone to join you for coffee, do you communicate who’s paying?
There are 3 facts I will like us to consider today:
1) Not everybody has a budget for coffee
2) Money is Money
3) People like to feel special
Not everybody has a budget for coffee. Communicating who’s paying for coffee will eliminate the embarrassing feeling of lack and enable your friend to relax and enjoy your company. In the Nigerian culture when I invite you out for a meal outside my home, it is on me. So you will understand the culture shock I experienced when invited out for coffee within weeks of my arrival to St Pierre-Jolly’s located south of Winnipeg.
A group of ladies were going for coffee and I was invited. Glad to get out into the community, I accepted. We all sat down placed our orders and at the end I noticed the ladies lining up at the check out register. At this, I realized I have to pay for my coffee and snack.
I was embarrassed because my husband is a student, I don’t have a job and no money. Not even for coffee. After a brief pause and O God! O God! O God! I pulled myself together and asked one of the ladies if she will be kind to pay for my bill and I will reimburse her at a later date. She was happy to do it.
Money is money. Think of this for a second. Communicating who’s paying will make your friends appreciate you more and maybe actually look forward to spending time with you. For example; A local foundation benefiting from the discontinuation of pennies estimated hundreds of dollars which they hope to use in their food program that teaches young people how to shop and cook in the kitchen especially immigrant youth. Another non-profit organization will exchange the pennies to buy toothpaste, toothbrushes and other necessities for people in transit. Be it in pennies or bills money is money. See diagram below.
We as individuals/people generally like to feel special. Communicating who’s paying for coffee could gain you a life – time friendship. I do not have tons of friends but with the ones I do have, we take turn paying for our meals whenever we choose to go out for one.
In conclusion; having lived in this great country of ours call Canada, for at least 25 years now; the prices of coffees/cup before you are from 2010 and I am sure it has increased since then. Who’s paying for coffee? When next you extend an invitation to someone to join you? Communicate it.
Money is money.
In conclusion; having lived in this great country of ours call Canada, for at least 25 years now; the prices of coffees/cup before you are from 2010 and I am sure it has increased since then. Who’s paying for coffee? When next you extend an invitation to someone to join you? Communicate it.
