To ask colleagues to pay me back after a month?

You're a little naive. Although you're not alone, I don't think a lot of people really understand how rich rich people are and how aggressively they make sure they stay rich. Earning and inheritance are not the only way to make money. Investing wisely and hiding your dividends from the taxman is also quite effective. That's literally what non-dom status is all about, and why people set up shell companies in the Caymans. I promise there are people who get away with not paying a lot more than half a million.

Bernie Ecclestone was found guilty of hiding £400 million pounds (only a small portion of his wealth.) He dodged tax and penalties on this over 30-year period and the amount he eventually paid back was a staggering £652 million pounds which is very likely less than the full amount due. Compound interest means that he's made even more money by holding back on paying that £652 million for 30 years. Not paying your dues on time can make you money (even at low amounts) that's why it's actually quite an effective mindset to keep yourself rich.

Do we think Ecclestone is the only rich person to do this - hell no. The others just haven't been caught yet. Half a million is small fry in the grand scheme of things. But the mindset is the same whether you're forgetting to pay over £600million to the taxman for 30 years or not paying £15 you've promised for a gift for 30 days.

Hi, you still owe for Doodah’s maternity present. It’s £15. Here are my account details XXXCC. Thanks 😊

No, you get loaded from earning it or inheriting it. And no one who owes half a million gets away with not paying it.

But that mindset of 'getting out of paying your dues' does. If they're happy to do it for £15 they'll be happy to do it for £500,000.

No one is loaded as they held on to the occasional few quid. That’s not what makes you loaded.

People who are loaded are often loaded because they frequently 'forget' to pay their dues and they rely on others feeling too embarrassed to pursue it.

Ask and ask again and again, and put a big A4 note on their computer screen saying "remember to pay £15 - 1 month overdue" to up their embarrassment stakes.

Just send a brief email to those who haven't paid. Keep it formal and impersonal. Include all the pertinent information.

Title: Payment Reminder

I'd appreciate if you would forward your contribution of £15 for Sally's gift, which is now overdue.

Banking details are below.

Thank You.

Did those two actually agree that they were happy to contribute towards the gift?

Gosh, £15 each is steep. Maybe people felt awkward saying no initially - gets very expensive for people with this new trend of buying gifts for the lovely things happening in people’s lives. Have either them had things happen in their lives, such as periods of sick/operations, and not received group gifts?

The post directly above is a good suggestion. Or, did you send a group email organising it? If so, send a reply message to the group and say ‘could the three of you who haven’t yet paid me for your gift to x person please bring the money in?

I’d put three so it seems like you are £45 out of pocket. It’s a triviality of a fib but it will stop you worrying about looking mean (which you are NOT - they are the tight / cheeky ones!).

@FreeBeeBird to the group: “hi, two people still to pay, £15 each please, don’t make me name and shame (wink emoji)”

What did you end up doing op? It’s pretty rude to start a thread and not even bother to reply to all the people who took their time to give you advice.

I would email the two colleagues directly with your bank details. "Hi, just checking my accounts can you pay the £15 for Sarah's maternity present please." No sorries, or messaging the general group. Unless you're on a six figure sum, £30 is a reasonable amount of money and you did the grunt work organising it, so they just need to pay up.

Message them OP - I do the birthday collections for my team and it's always the same person who doesn't pay. I message him until he does - they are the ones who should be embarrassed

100% ask for money, it shouldn't be awkward OP. I'd feel embarrassed if I was the person who hadn't paid and received a reminder!

Don't out them, just send a polite reminder of your bank details and amount due.

In future always ask for contribution in advance.

But of course ask for the money now, they have probably just forgotten

I'd just put in the group chat that you've just checked your bank account and realised a couple of people have forgotten to pay and if they could please sort. No need to name names, I bet this will prompt them to pay.

Unlike everyone else, I think I'd make a point of shaming them for not paying, why do so many people think it's OK to go around using other people's money, and not paying it back at the earliest opportunity?

In a situation like this, if I was working in an office for example, I would wait until the guilty party walked by my desk and call out 'Sue, am I right in thinking you've forgotten you still owe me the £15 for 'X's' gift?' She'll probably say 'OMG, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot'. At which point, just make a joke and say, don't worry, I take cash, or you can pop it straight into my account if you prefer, here are the details'. Then repeat the process with the other one. That way, other people know they're not good at paying up, whether innocently or not. If they don't then pay swiftly, I'd bring it up in front of the rest of the office again, and say 'Sue, you do realise you still haven't paid the £15 you owe me, have I got to send in the heavies to make you cough up, or what? Giving a little laugh as you say it, so that it doesn't make you look like a complete bitch for asking for what is rightly yours. If anyone says something like 'it's only £15 surely it's hardly worth making a song and dance about?' I'd answer that with, 'it may only be £15 to you, but if all of those who agreed to contribute did the same, I would be out of pocket by £120, not quite so small an amount then, is it?'

As you can probably tell, I've had my fingers burned like this before, and even if it's only the principle that makes you chase them, and not that you actually need the money, they should still be ashamed for not paying up, otherwise these people will continue to treat other's money as their own personal piggy bank.

Message them separately. They need to pay up!

I wouldn't allow myself to be out of pocket. I'd ask nicely and directly and in a 1:1 way. If I got no reply by middle of next week i would message whole group and say that the group is £30 short- do people want to pay extra or should you return the gift and someone else can step in and sort it.

I too would want my £30 back, my point was that very rich people they can't understand how important it is to the majority of us and 'forget' about it after a few weeks so need chivvying along!

I'd have no problem emailing both
Hi you two, you still owe me £x for the present, my bank details are xxxx or cash will do.
Let's get this sorted ASAP so I can cross it off my list
Thanks

If there's a WhatsApp group fir all of you I would message it so all the others know they are crap at settling debts.

And never organise this sort of thing again - there are always people who don't cough up

100 percent. They need to pay. It's like they think you'll forget! If I owe someone a quid I'm worried about it lol.

now I feel it’s been to long to say anything

This is just wrong thinking. It's not awkward. Just post a thanks to everyone who has CV paid up unprompted, polite reminder of £15 to everyone else

In future, if you make such an offer, chase for the money in advance. You are still doing all the effort and people should be grateful.

I'm sure it's just slipped their memory do a prompt will sort it can't, in future in advance.

It really is that simple.

Always, always get the money first. I sometimes forget to pay stuff. Bright and breezy reminder with bank details.