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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

mother collects books but doesn't pay .

83 replies

Bumblegreen · 07/09/2022 03:08

I've been clearing out some of my children's books on a local whatsapp small community group village yesterday. All books get snapped up, mums turn up to collect and pay.

One mum texts me and says she will come to pick them up the next day. When she arrives she says " I don't have any money on me" (it's eight pounds). Then she mentions the school name that our kids go to.

So split second decision and I had to hand over to her and say you can transfer it to me later.

what a bloody nerve. Well, I will never sell to her again.

Isn't it rude, entitled, and shameless ?

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 07/09/2022 07:03

I would say not many people carry cash. It's 2022. She should have got some though.

Porcupineintherough · 07/09/2022 07:06

"Ru

Porcupineintherough · 07/09/2022 07:08

Rude, entitled and shameless?!
Well, no, not really as it turns out.

Womencanlift · 07/09/2022 07:10

Bumblegreen · 07/09/2022 03:53

Good news is she sent her mother in law to come round and pay in the end.

But who goes out and not carries cash ?

Eh! These days most people OP

But I would have had some if I was collecting something like this

Could it have been that she had not planned to collect then but was out and saw your house and thought might as well ask

Anyway no harm done as you got paid. But I do think you are more unreasonable about the carrying cash comment than your actual AIBU

phishy · 07/09/2022 07:14

I also don’t get the point of this thread.

You got your money so she wasn’t a bad person. And you learned a lesson.

Kezzie200 · 07/09/2022 07:42

I don't carry cash! Although I guess I would if I were buying books.

Anniegetyourgun · 07/09/2022 07:48

I'd think of this as a restored faith in humanity example, given that she walked off with the goods but actually did arrange payment when she could have got away with not doing so. I assume the payment came in between your first and second posts?

FrankWelker · 07/09/2022 07:57

phishy · 07/09/2022 07:14

I also don’t get the point of this thread.

You got your money so she wasn’t a bad person. And you learned a lesson.

Exactly

ThatWillBeAll · 07/09/2022 08:03

Isn't it rude, entitled, and shameless ?

No. She just didn't have any cash. Then she probably said to her MIL

'oh, Susan, can you drop £8 off to 12 Limetree Avenue on your way to Tesco as you will be passing anyway'

And the MIL did because they are ordinary people who don't get into a state about nothing.

butterpuffed · 07/09/2022 08:10

Anniegetyourgun · 07/09/2022 07:48

I'd think of this as a restored faith in humanity example, given that she walked off with the goods but actually did arrange payment when she could have got away with not doing so. I assume the payment came in between your first and second posts?

Unless OP lives outside the UK , I guess she'd already received payment when she started the thread as her posts were in the middle of the night .
😶

Whatafustercluck · 07/09/2022 08:11

lightisnotwhite · 07/09/2022 06:47

Where are you that people are buying used books? People stick them on Facebook free giving or donation sites here.
She made a mistake which she rectified
You gave her the benefit of the doubt which is good.

Why the angst?

Yep, same here. I just want to know a child has access to books we no longer use. We even have old phone booths in the villages around the city that have shelves of books in them for swapping.

Somethingneedstochange · 07/09/2022 08:33

I always have some cash on me. I don't drive so just in case I need to get a taxi. You can pay on your card the one I use. But sometimes the card reader doesn't work.

AnuSTart · 07/09/2022 08:34

Wtaf.
She paid and your still posting complaining about it. Bit of an arsehole aren't you OP?

Alwayswonderedwhy · 07/09/2022 08:34

Most people don't carry cash. Not a big deal to drop the money off later in my opinion. Especially as it was such a small amount.
Next time just ask them to transfer the money while they're there if you're concerned they won't be back.

loudlylikealion · 07/09/2022 08:35

Bumblegreen · 07/09/2022 03:53

Good news is she sent her mother in law to come round and pay in the end.

But who goes out and not carries cash ?

She came good in the end then

Somethingneedstochange · 07/09/2022 08:37

Also is there a cash machine in the village where you live? Quite a few villages I have been to don't have a bank or cash machine. Or if they do you have to pay to withdraw money.

Musti · 07/09/2022 08:46

Last time I bought something off Facebook, I paid via PayPal. If they hadn’t had had or wanted PayPal, I’d have taken money out or agreed how to pay before collecting.

Stangerthings · 07/09/2022 08:48

Good lord, give the woman chance to pay before you rush to MN to complain!

TheEggChair · 07/09/2022 08:53

I wouldn't have handed them over. Amend your ad to say 'no cash then no books.'

NoDairyNoProblem · 07/09/2022 08:54

So she paid within 1hr of you posting.

TrashyPanda · 07/09/2022 08:56

Bumblegreen · 07/09/2022 03:53

Good news is she sent her mother in law to come round and pay in the end.

But who goes out and not carries cash ?

99% of the population.

it’s more like “who still uses cash”

sounds like she genuinely forgot. Not that she was dodging paying.

what exactly is the point of this thread? You got the money.

Anniegetyourgun · 07/09/2022 09:00

butterpuffed · 07/09/2022 08:10

Unless OP lives outside the UK , I guess she'd already received payment when she started the thread as her posts were in the middle of the night .
😶

Show quote history

Well spotted! I just looked at the difference in time, I didn't think am/pm. So yeah. Why bother with a clickbait title when you won't even be paid for the clicks?

MugginsOverEre · 07/09/2022 09:25

I once sold a kids ride on car. Total bargain as it was worth about £100 and was still in the sealed box, unused, but I asked for just £15. The buyer asked for it and once the sale was agreed, expected us to deliver too. My location for pick up only was in the listing.

She lived a 60 mile round trip away.

My husband happened to be travelling to that town on a certain day so we agreed to drop it off (no extra charge) but when he got there at the agreed time she took the box and said, "I've no cash on me. I've got about £3 here." and held it out to him. Hubby is a shy, nervous type and normally would have given in, leaving with the little bit of change but bless him, he stood firm and said, "Oh so you don't want it anymore?" and picked it back up off the floor beside her. She tried to say that no, she wanted it but DH stood firm and said that when you buy something you have to pay for it. It's how it all works.
She went back inside the house and came out with the full £15.

Hate selling on FB now because that crap happened far too much,

MaryMcCarthy · 07/09/2022 10:00

Why does the title mention her not paying?

You obviously knew when you posted the OP that she had paid.

Why did you wait 45 minutes before confirming that she had paid? Just so that the poll looked more favourable to you?

BoredofthisCrap7 · 07/09/2022 10:12

Surely though, if you are specifically going to collect something you make sure you have the means to pay? I know a lot of people no longer carry cash but if you are making a trip to pick something up why would you turn up with no money?

Another common one, OP, is that they turn up with a large note, say you have asked £7 for something and they produce a £50 note and say "this is all I have, can you give me change?", knowing that most people won't be able to change it and then let the item go for nothing.
I've had this a few times when selling on Facebook. Annoyingly for them I always have change.

I've basically stopped selling on these sites due to CFs. I only ever post free things now, and even then people give you hassle by arranging a time, not turning up, or asking you to keep it for 3 or 4 days until they can arrange pick up, it sits around your house for days, and then they don't turn up etc.