How Much Do I Owe My Friend?

MrBarbs on 01/02/2023 - 16:56
Last edited 02/02/2023 - 15:55

I have a situation l don't know how to solve.

Me, a friend (and a third party) went on a holiday which costed us in total $1400.
The friend paid in full however we want to split the cost equally (the friend and l).
A third party involved paid my friend $400 for his share.
I thought that was too much and wanted him to pay $200 for his share so l gave him $200.
I've currently lost $200 and the friend gained $400.
How much do l owe my friend for us to be equal and knowing he gained $400 and I've lost $200 due to the third party?
The $200 paid by the third party is split equally between my friend and me.

Edit: Some of your guy's comments are the funniest things l ever heard, taking everything so seriously. Stop questioning the situation and take it for what it is. The money l gave to the third party was with the approval of the friend. Anything else you guys can think of was with consent from all parties involved. Plus with the comments about me being stingy, l gave more money to the friend than what actual cost of my share was.

Financial

Comments

              • spackbace on 01/02/2023 - 18:02
                +1

                @Sweet Berry: So if OP was the one who said "nah that's ok, you're broke, here's $200 back", OP should be the one coughing up extra, not an even split of the remaining amount

                • Sweet Berry on 01/02/2023 - 18:05
                  +3

                  @spackbace: Yeah, it's independent, but that third party is now out of the question as he/she has paid and it's literally like a financial settlement.

                  Both A and B have accepted C's $400 as consideration. $200 of which is subsidised by A which was not agreed to by B, as there is no information stating that.

                  You are making that strong assumption that C will pay their equal share when that was already agreed to that he/she wouldn't because of the $400 settlement. That is a really strong mathematical assumption to make if you assume that C still needs to pay more, or even that they agreed to pay an equal share…

                  Where does it state C agrees to pay an equal share? They just randomly came to the holiday without prior consent.

                  Anyway, I hope this isn't an exam question I drafted a few years ago, because it damn looks similar.

                  • Sweet Berry on 01/02/2023 - 18:17

                    @Sweet Berry: It depends on how you interpret that language, but since it's a slimmed down version of the question I cannot really tell. It could just as easily be argued that it should be:

                    A: $700 still to pay ($200 is irrelevant)
                    B: $700-$400=$300
                    C: $400

                    I don't think that sounds right though; don't you agree?

                    I do note: The wording states it is for C to pay down B's Share? So, maybe this is the correct answer…. Lol. I jumped the gun. It all comes down to what the actual question states… So, that's for the OP to decide which one is the relevant answer to their exam question. lol.

                    Although, I think the last part where it states $200 might not actually be there. If it states:
                    The amount paid by the third party is split between my friend and me. That kind of implies that it is going down to pay each A & B's share, rather than just B's share. This is because it is in direct conflict with "A third party involved paid my friend $400 for his share."
                    Either way, it seems strange that the question would state that $200 figure and it might have been included by the OP.

                    I wouldn't draft the question as it is, assuming it is an exam question…

                    • Sweet Berry on 01/02/2023 - 18:31

                      @Sweet Berry: Lol. I botched it.

                      $1400 total - $200 paid by C

                      Shares
                      A = $600
                      B = $600
                      C = $200

                      $200 is relevant.

                      Re-edit:
                      Actually. Wait again, how does the friend end up with $400 then.. lol… C is to pay $200.

                      My original answer was correct. The question is how do you treat that $400 given to B… Do you treat it as $400 paid by C or is it $200 paid by C? That depends on the language of the actual question…

                      • Sweet Berry on 01/02/2023 - 18:54

                        @Sweet Berry: I concede defeat, there are too many inconsistencies in the question.

                        …. Can someone confirm that $200 goes to paying down the share in equal shares, and $200 just goes as a gift to B?

                        If so, Debt Free's original answer is in fact correct!

                        • Ghost47 on 01/02/2023 - 19:24
                          +2

                          @Sweet Berry: Think of it this way; C paid their share to B, but then paid another $200 and essentially covered part of OP's share. OP then paid C back $200 settling any outstanding with them.

                          Friend has been paid $400, so $1400 - $400 = $1000 left to pay. BUT since C "should have only paid $200" out of the total, that makes $1200 left to pay between OP and friend. $1200 / 2 = $600 each, but since OP has already paid $200 (through C), they owe $400.

                          $1400 - $200 (C's share) = $1200
                          $1200 / 2 = $600
                          OP has paid $200 (doesn't matter that C got the money because C paid $400), so $600 - $200 = $400

      • spackbace on 01/02/2023 - 17:55

        My summary

      • Donaldhump on 02/02/2023 - 10:41

        you are probably correct then

        tbh this is my thoughts

        no phd, just a lonely bachelors so sorry can;t keep up with your humble brag, but earn enough to not care about such a piss poor debt

  • Godric on 01/02/2023 - 17:59
    +1

    Buy friend a Zinger Box, all debts are sold with a lovely gift of fresh and crispy KFC

    • jjjaar on 01/02/2023 - 19:35
      +1

      Did someone say KFC?!

  • Stopback on 01/02/2023 - 18:03

    If I book a holiday using cash back.

    I'm keeping the cash back.

    The ozbargain way.

    Bargain all the way.

    We don't not give cashback.

    • spackbace on 01/02/2023 - 18:05
      +1

      We don't not give cashback.

      So we do give cashback?

  • djones145 on 01/02/2023 - 18:42
    +3

    nothing
    send me 1400
    get ur friend to send me 1400

    then we are good

    the 200 that you paid the third party, did your friend agree to it? did he agree that the 200 you paid back to the 3rd party, he was ok to split it with you.
    or did you do it on ur own accord and assume your other friend agree and will chip in

    if he never agreed, 1000 left, split 2 and u owe him 500

    if he agreed, you owe him 400

    really depends on what you agreed with your friend

  • Baysew on 01/02/2023 - 18:46
    +2

    What about the cost of snacks?

  • Debt Free on 01/02/2023 - 18:55
    +1

    the Op probably takes advantage of his friends all the time by throwing curve balls like this every time splitting the bill is involved- he is an ozbargainer after all.
    I think there are 3 correct answers depending on how one interprets the question. This is why Punctuation is important- Seems to me the Op is trying to justify paying less than his fair share.

  • jjjaar on 01/02/2023 - 19:37
    +3

    Why did I read every comment and agree with several different options, all of which contradict each other?

    • bobbified on 01/02/2023 - 19:41
      +2

      It's mostly that damn $200 OP decided to pay. Noone knows if he decided to be generous himself or if he decided on his friend's behalf that he/she should be generous too.

  • Debt Free on 01/02/2023 - 19:47
    +1

    Op should be as generous to friend A as he was to friend C

  • prisonmike on 01/02/2023 - 19:53
    +4

    FFM or MMF ?

    • ihfree on 04/02/2023 - 00:37

      Based on the username replies and earlier replies - MMM.

  • knowwhat on 01/02/2023 - 20:11
    +1

    If s/he is your real friend, dont stress too much about money (if you can afford). You will get good karma and hopefully your friend would be able to repay your generosity and kindness in future.
    When, I was in uni, one of my friend owned a car, and always took us for travel/ accommodation and did not bother too much about money, even though we were happy to split the bills. Fast forward a few years, and we now have never asked for any money when we go out and we all make sure that the friend does not have to pay any bills.

  • oblivianz on 01/02/2023 - 21:28
    +2

    You owe your friend $500.

    The $200 you contributed for the third party should not be accounted into your share as you made the sole decision to pay that for the third party.

    $1400 - ($200 + the $200 that you gave the third party) = $1000

    $1000 remaining split by two = $500

  • Jugganautx on 01/02/2023 - 22:57
    +1

    What's the point of complaining about money when you handed over $200 of your own cash for no reason.

    This is on you and should pay up accordingly

  • Caped Baldy on 01/02/2023 - 23:22
    +9

    You owe each of us $20 for reading your post.

  • p1 ama on 02/02/2023 - 00:37
    +4

    This sounds like a stupid situation, if you can't work shit like this out, then you're not friends and you should not be splitting dinner bills with each other let alone going on holidays with each other.

    To actually address your situation:

    Me and a friend went on a holiday which costed us in total $1400.

    So there are two people going on a holiday?

    The friend paid in full however we want to split the cost equally.

    So the original agreement was $700 each?

    A third party involved paid my friend $400 for his share.

    Okay so it's now 3 people who are going on the trip - i.e. $1400 / 3 = $467 each.

    That third friend only paid $400 though, so he's short $67.

    I thought that was too much and wanted him to pay $200 for his share so l gave him $200.

    Why? He never paid you any money?

    I've currently lost $200 and the friend gained $400.

    It was your choice to give him the money, what does that have to do with your friend?

    How much do l owe my friend for us to be equal and knowing he gained $400 and I've lost $200 due to the third party? The $200 paid by the third party is split equally between my friend and me.

    You owe your mate $467, the third party owes your mate $67, the $200 you gave the third party is between you and that third party and has nothing to do with your mate.

    If the third party is a lost cause and you cannot recover $67 more from them, then you owe your mate $500, splitting the remaining $1,000 equally between the two of you.

    Think of it this way, you were initially going to pay $700, if you end up paying your mate $500, then you will have ended up out of pocket still the original $700, just think of it as you letting third party come along for free.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/02/2023 - 00:57
    +4

    is this another one of those grade 5 maths problems?

  • hasher22 on 02/02/2023 - 03:27

    You owe $500

    1: you owe $500 but out of pocket $600
    You gave $200 back to person 3, assuming it's $100 refund each from you and your friend.
    Which makes the final balance $1200, divide that by 2 and you owe $600. But your friend needs to give you $100, which ultimately makes your final payment to your friend $500.

    2: you owe $500 but out of pocket $700
    The $200 you paid person 3 if you did not consult your friend you're paying $200 to person 3, which leaves the final balance at $1000 cause your friend just got $400 payment for person 3 and your friend thinks there's a balance left of $1000, so you pay your friend $500. But you ended up paying half the holiday anyways at $700

    The balance is always going to be $1000 after person 3 paid $400, it doesn't matter if you gave back $400 back to person 3, your friend thinks the balance is $1000. You did not consult your friend you're giving a refund back to person 3 or made arrangements with your friend what is their share to give back to person 3.

    It's $500 owing, no matter the scenario, it's up to the OP and the friend to sort out the $200 refund from the OP to person 3.

  • Sinnerator on 02/02/2023 - 07:47

    This is another math homework problem isn't it !

  • Jason88 on 02/02/2023 - 08:34

    I think I lost brain cells reading this.

  • BartholemewH on 02/02/2023 - 08:37
    +1

    $400. Remove the third party from equation and you should have paid 1200 together. At the point you repay the third party, you have paid 200 and your friend has paid 1000. Split the difference, it's $400. Not difficult.

    Edit: If you unilaterally gave the third party $200.00, you owe your friend between $400.00 and $600.00 depending on the outcome of your discussion with your friend, not with OzB.

  • misu p on 02/02/2023 - 08:40
    +1

    "I've currently lost $200 and the friend gained $400." - Noooo….. you are currently down $200 and your friend is down $1000. You have not paid him back… He did not gain shit… he just did not lose that much.

    The problem can be rewritten this way:
    3 people went on a $1400 vacation, they agreed to pay:
    * 3rd party - $400
    * you - $500
    * your friend $500

    Then independently of anything else, you gave $200 to the 3rd party because of "reasons".
    Because your friend paid for everything you still owe your friend $500.

    Now if you spoke with your friend already (and it does not sound like you did) and you agreed with him that the 3rd party should only pay $200 then you owe $400, but it sounds like you decided on $200 for the 3rd party by yourself so $500 it is.

  • johnno07 on 02/02/2023 - 08:52

    IMO pay both of them $1400 to reimburse for past and future events of stinginess.

  • Edgecrusher on 02/02/2023 - 09:09
    +4

    $1400 less $400 from the third friend.
    $1000 between the two of you

    $500 is what you owe your friend. So that you split it evenly.

    You volunteered to give $200 to the third friend, that’s not the first friends fault.

    So you will be $700 out of pocket, unless the first friend decides to split to payment back to the third friend, in that case he may reimburse you $100 meaning your net cost is $600.

    Your original post is poorly worded. Luckily via some of your responses you can work out the areas that weren’t clear.

    • surg3on on 02/02/2023 - 09:50

      spot on

  • skillet on 02/02/2023 - 09:37
    +1

    True Ozbargain question.

  • digitalbath on 02/02/2023 - 09:38

    I feel stupid for having read some of this.

  • surg3on on 02/02/2023 - 09:49
    +1

    Your friend Paid $1400. He was reimbursed $400 by a/the third party. You agreed to half so you owe $500. The amount you refunded the other is irrelevant as it is not part of the deal between you two.

  • jakeh87 on 02/02/2023 - 09:56

    Ask your friend.

    Don't let a couple of hundred ruin your friendship.

  • duluxe2000 on 02/02/2023 - 10:38

    Always ask the person who paid in full how much you own him/her . You never know if the total cost is 1400 or more or less.

  • lainey13 on 02/02/2023 - 10:57

    I expect this question to show up in primary school maths exercise books for years to come. Also in the upcoming book 'How to gain comments and lose friends'

  • OhToTheZee on 02/02/2023 - 11:33
    +1

    NAPLAN Band 5 question right there

  • charkwayteo on 02/02/2023 - 12:08

    Your choice to give the $200 to the other third party that chipped in $400.

    IF I was in the same situation I'd give my friend $500.. (but would NOT have given 200 back to the third party).

    (TRIP COST - 3RD PARTY CONTRIBUTION) ÷ 2 = FRIEND PAYMENT

  • quack28 on 02/02/2023 - 12:19

    At least you're a decent friend to pay back, mines just think I'm their bank and pay when they feel like, if they remember

  • rlf on 02/02/2023 - 12:25

    You need to explain the 3rd party situation to us more.

    • dasher86 on 02/02/2023 - 13:11
      +1

      probably a chick.

  • trapper on 02/02/2023 - 13:13

    A) If you and the paying friend both agreed to only have the poor friend only pay $200.

    Then you split the rest equally so $600 each. You already refunded $200 back to poor friend so you owe the paying friend $400 more. He has the original $400 already from poor friend, another $400 from you, leaving $600 for him.

    B) If you unilaterally decided that poor friend should pay $200 and not $400.

    Then it may be on you to cover that. So in this case you owe paying friend half of the remaining $1000 which is $500.

  • idonotknowwhy on 02/02/2023 - 13:19

    You and your friend were going to split the $1400 cost equally, so each of you would have owed $700.
    After the third party paid $400 to your friend, he only owed $300 ($700 - $400).
    When you gave him $200, you now owe him $100 ($300 - $200).
    So, you owe your friend $100 to be equal and account for the $400 he gained and the $200 you lost due to the third party.

    https://chat.openai.com/chat
    (The chatbot is about as good at math as you lol)

  • GoIdDigger on 02/02/2023 - 13:50

    Yeah that's enough OzBargain for me today

  • Seraphin7 on 02/02/2023 - 15:04

    Yowsers. Half the battle here is actually understanding what's happened to this point.

    It seems the first friend paid $1,400 and this was to cover three persons' costs. This would imply $466.67 each.

    Then it seems the second friend couldn't afford their share (so why were they ever included in this show?) and forked out $400 to the first friend.

    You either agreed with the above situation or you didn't. If you did, you're up for $500, otherwise you're still at $466.67.

    The fact you've given $200 to the second friend, apparently without the involvement of the first friend, is irrelevant.

  • ajdj10 on 02/02/2023 - 15:32

    You owe him $1400 plus interest.

  • dowhatuwant2 on 02/02/2023 - 15:34

    You went on a holiday with your friend and it cost 1400, you agree to split it so you owe him 700.

    What's the third party got to do with anything? Was he on the holiday too and if so how many other people came on holiday, why did you think 400 was too much for him to pay when 1400/3 is more than 400?

    Your English sucks man wtf.

  • cosmos on 02/02/2023 - 16:00

    You owe $400

  • whatwasherproblem on 02/02/2023 - 16:31

    I legit was expecting a "What happened to the extra $1, bros?!"-style twist after reading your story and you left me disappointed OP.

  • Aerith-Waifu on 02/02/2023 - 17:15

    You guys all been trolled, the OP really has to solve his kids maths question and don't know the answer! Lol

  • skuz on 02/02/2023 - 18:04

    Just use splitwise.. makes travelling with groups a breeze

  • Eeples on 02/02/2023 - 18:34
    +1

    If your friend is happy that the 3rd party only pays $200 towards the trip then you need to pay your friend 1200/2 = $600 (less $200 you paid) = $400.

  • dj69 on 02/02/2023 - 19:01

    you give him $400. that way you are both out of pocket $600

  • Keplaffintech on 02/02/2023 - 19:09
    +1

    Put it into Splitwise and re-create the transactions. It will have the answer.

  • Tigercjn on 02/02/2023 - 19:55

    $700 each less 1/2 of the friends contribution of $200 would be $600 each to be allocated

    Friend needs to recover a half of the $1400 - $200 that the agreed 3rd person paid so he needs $600 of which he has received $200 additional from 3rd party so he needs $400.

    You have paid $200 of your $600 so you need to pay your friend $400.

    Very Tricky to work out, but this seems right now to me

  • TheRealCher on 02/02/2023 - 21:18

    As staff at uni, we're worried about chat ai….but im bringing this to my next meeting.

  • sashatheman on 02/02/2023 - 21:36

    First of all. Talk to your friend.
    Say, the trip was $1400. A third friend paid $200 and cant contribute anymore. so that leaves $1200.
    Is it okay if we split the remainder and I pay $600.
    Done

  • lltravel on 02/02/2023 - 22:25

    op you should pay me $400 just to read this nonsense

  • Gravy on 02/02/2023 - 23:37

    I remember this question from the Westpac Maths competition I entered back in 1987. I don't think I could figure it out back then either.

  • p3nf0ld on 02/02/2023 - 23:39

    You still owe your friend $500. He divided up the balance $1400 ($400 + $500 + $500). The fact that you paid 1/2 of the 3rd parties contribution is irrelevant unless you have previously discussed it with your friend. Otherwise that is something you did off your own back.

  • mrhugo on 02/02/2023 - 23:42

    It's late I read it twice, I can't make sense of anything.

    It's $1400 FFS, that barely covers a weekly shop and a splash and dash of fuel these days. A sunk cost between friends.

    By the way, I'm curious to know about this 'third party' ;-) I suspect they are paid for their services, i.e a third party.

  • cashless on 03/02/2023 - 00:58
    +1

    Hello primary school children, I am Cashless, your new teacher.
    Today we are going to learn fractions and how to share.
    Can you please take this machette plus this taser and divide an apple up into equal parts?

  • Kiro on 03/02/2023 - 09:42

    look, i need a MS Paint of this transaction, my head is hurting.

  • grr1701 on 03/02/2023 - 09:52

    I think you owe him $1400 because you need help with mathematics.

  • lint on 03/02/2023 - 10:26
    +1

    Total trip cost is $1,400. You want third guy to cover $200. We have to assume your friend is in agreement on that, so the balance is $1,200.

    Split evenly between you and your friend, that's $600 each.

    You've already paid your friend $200 via the third guy, so the amount you owe your friend is $400.

  • kolorijo on 03/02/2023 - 10:57
    +1

    We need Judge Judy

  • jatbinks on 03/02/2023 - 14:07

    He owes $400, not $500, bajeezus.
    Can't believe so many of you can't do simple math. But to be fair the way OP explains it, he's probably on some hard drugs.

    • Eeples on 03/02/2023 - 17:34

      He owes $400 if and only if his friend is happy with the 3rd party only paying $200 for their share.

      If the friend is not happy with the 3rd party paying only 200 (but 400 as paid) then the OP owes $500.

    • hasher22 on 03/02/2023 - 19:10

      OP only owes 400 is the friend acknowledges the OP gave 200 to the third party and the friend agrees to minus that $200 from the $1200 balance (after third party paid).

      The problem is that the OP didn't tell the friend about the $200 to the third party and the friend thinks the third party paid $400 for their share.

      That's why there's different amounts owing, just depends

  • kaleidoscope on 03/02/2023 - 17:45

    Use kittysplit. Easy as!
    I've even went ahead and added list of expenses. I dont know how the initial 1400 is to be split so you go ahead and adjust that one. Here is the link to trip sheet

  • SydneySurfer on 03/02/2023 - 19:43

    You only owe your friend $400. You split the $1200 by two. Since you've already paid $200, you still owe $400. That's because your friend and you both agree that the 3rd party should only pay $200 towards the original $1400.
    *Also, good on you and your friend for being generous to the poor third party.

  • KaTst3R on 03/02/2023 - 20:42

    You just owe $400 to the one who paid the full cost.

    Dont over think this.

  • Cave Fire on 03/02/2023 - 20:56

    Yeah, used to get into weird splits like this when younger. Best to have not interfered with the third friend's payment as they may already owe the first friend for stuff. As the first friend put the money up, they should probably get something for doing that. Not losing money.

  • paloverde88 on 04/02/2023 - 11:50

    James sleeps next to Andy in a bunk in the military. Andy’s bed is next to Steve and Tony sleeps above John, Alex’s bed is below Troy and Troy sleeps to James right hand side the left hand side is occupied by Sam who sleeps below James.
    What time is it?

    • Gravy on 05/02/2023 - 14:38

      Sleepy time.

  • ChatCPT on 04/02/2023 - 13:42
    +1

    OP tell us more about yourself. Genuinely interested

  • FittyFitty on 04/02/2023 - 17:54

    Just pay the lot and don't do it again.

  • sunnyc on 07/02/2023 - 12:56

    Huh? You voluntarily paid someone money because he paid someone else too much. You’re going to lose a friendship

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