Aibu for responding this way?

[ForOliveShaker]

Currently I’ve been spending a lot of money and I decided I’ll be doing packed lunch for work for a while. Or I’d but something like crackers and meats to last the week. I ran out of time last night to faff around and left lunch at home so decided I’d nip to the shops quickly.

I usually politely offer anyone on my table hoping they’ll say no anyway unless they either often do me favours or give me the card to pay on. There’s one staff member who always, without fail asks me to get their stuff. She NEVER goes to the shops for any of us but always asks us to get their things. Also rarely pays me back. Or will offer but never gives me the money. They would often also task me with picking up other things for them like a new mug or medication while I’m at the shop. Again wouldn’t mind if this individual did something for me.

Today I just wasn’t in the mood I had a bad sleep and have some worries on my mind and purposefully tried to just slip out to the shop. I didn’t ask anyone if they wanted anything which was indication of please don’t ask me. So, as I’m putting my coat on
they said “oh are you going to the shop”
me “yes”
them “can you get me a sandwich”
me “which one”
them “only vegetarian”
me “ok”

I then headed for the door

Them “oh can you also get me a can of coke”
me “good grief is there anything else you need while I’m there. Jesus”

I then came back and put the receipt on their desk because there has been a few times they haven’t paid me for their food that I’ve gone out and got.

AIBU? Was I rude and unfair? It’s just costing me a lot of money to do these things and they just never give me anything back. Also I find it hard to say no.

Rude? Maybe. Unfair? No. Really out of order for them to never return the favour or pay you back.

If they ask again I’d ask for the money upfront. “Sure I can grab you a sandwich but can you give me the cash now? I only have enough on me for my stuff.”

The shop would have "run out" of vegetarian sandwiches by the time I got there, what a shame. Cheeky mare can get her own.

Here you go Sharon, £6.50 for the items from the shop today, cash is easiest but you can bank transfer if needed, just let me know, you've got right into the habit of not paying me when I go to the shop hahahaha (yeah you cheeky b)

Just stop offering to get stuff for her. She’s taking the piss and you’re letting her do it.

Understandable but you would have been better just saying no and explaining that “sorry but you never pay me back and I’m on a budget these days”. She sounds like a cheeky mare and I doubt she saw your response and thought oh I’ve been taking the piss. She probably just thought you were being a moody cow. Be more upfront about it. Half your frustration is because you know you are letting her take advantage and not doing anything to stop it.

You have been more than reasonable, OP. From now on I would need cash up front before doing this cheeky mare any favours. If she asks why, I would tell her that it’s because she hadn’t been paying for her things

Just do not say where you're going. She sounds awful. Ask her for payment for the last items, then mention she's not paid you for the other stuff yet either. Just say it in a very matter of fact way, no emotion or annoyance. Just stating fact.

Unless she's got some kind of disability that renders her own attempts at going to the shop unbearably painful, she's got no excuse to keep asking you.

Yes, a little bit rude, but you'd obviously been driven to it. Definitely not unreasonable. Hopefully she won't ask you again! If she does, as PPs have said, ask for the money upfront. Absolutely nothing wrong in saying that you're on a tight budget this month.

I would have answered "no" to her first question and kept walking

I’ve put YABU because you are the reason you are in this position in the first place.

I’ve been in your position. I kept lending a colleague a £5 here and there. He’d ask me to grab him something at the shops, never gave me money back. I hated it and it grated on me, never stuck up for myself.

I went through a phase where I was trying to save, he asked me if he can borrow £10 and said he’d pay me back the next day. I told him that I was no longer lending money or buying him food from the shops, and that he needs to pay me back £20 on pay day for the stuff I’ve bought him over the last couple of months.

You need to set boundaries.

It’s not nice but telling colleague in front of everyone “sorry I can’t get your bits, you never pay me back and you owe me about £50 so can you pay that before I grab you anything in future” might make them blush and feel embarrassed - so they should!

I would have said no I'm not going to the shops, I'm going for a walk.

Just say no? Or say yes, if you can give me the cash now as I’ve only got £5 on me for myself.

Did she pay you back this time? Did you actually ask for the money or just hand the receipt over?

Instead of being rude you should just be truthful and say “I’m happy to do that but can you please pay me once I’m back”

YABU because you have set up this dynamic.

So either do packed lunch and eliminate the problem or when asked 'where are you going' say 'out for a walk' or 'out for some fresh air'
'Can you get me anything/sandwich/coke', 'no, I'm not going that way'

Why don't you say no? I'm truly baffled. She is just milking you like a cash cow.

Agree with everyone saying put in some boundaries!

Why on earth would you repeatedly get stuff for a random colleague who doesn't pay you back?

Next time they ask, tell them you'll do it when they've paid for all the previous stuff.

No need to lie

Unless they are levitating, they are walking.

Dear OP, you truly need to learn to say No! Your life would be quite different. There's no need to be rude, just factual.
Can you get me a sandwich? Sorry, not today. Bye.
She'll get the message pretty soon. She must know that she's taking advantage.

The conversation should have gone like this.

they said “oh are you going to the shop”
me “yes”
them “can you get me a sandwich”
me “sure, can I have the cash you owe me for last Tuesday, as well as for whatever you would like me to get today please”
them “um, I don't have any cash on me”
me “No worries, I'm sorry though, I don't have any spare cash today so you'll have to go yourself and put it on a card. If you could transfer £x to me for last week today I'd be grateful. My details are.... ”

Did she actually pay you for the goods

I'd just say "No because you still owe me £x from last time".

Why did you not just say no when they asked if you could get them something ? They asked you because they know they can take advantage of you. They won’t have asked Jenny from accounts who tells them “only if you give me the cash now because you have a reputation for not paying”. You’re the one who doesn’t mind paying for others and not getting the money back. The only problem is you do mind. So stop getting stuff for them..

Whether there’s a background or not it does come across as rude when you suddenly say something like this without addressing it politely before. I say that as I know I let things brew then get annoyed when I know I should have addressed it.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing that then With people like that id ask for the money upfront; say you don’t have much cash on you etc so they need to give you money before