I recently wrote an article with ten tips to avoid picking up the bill. As a general rule, these tips weren’t about skipping out on your part of the bill. They were simply about how to avoid paying for other people when you go out.

These tips fell into three basic categories:

1. Getting your mind straight. These tips were related to making sure that you understand why you feel obligated to pick up the bill and to work on not feeling that way.
2. Making smart payment choices. These tips included ideas like paying your part in cash (so you don’t end up with the whole bill on your credit card) and making a mobile payment transaction at the table to repay someone who has just paid for your part of the bill.
3. Find ways to avoid paying altogether. This could mean going out with someone who will pay for you or simply doing things that are free.

Some people responded to me by saying that they didn’t think that picking up the bill should be that big of a deal as long as you’re not picking it up all of the time. I think that’s true but I also think that attitude can cause you to pay more for other people than your budget should really allow.

What do you think? Should we pay our part but avoid picking up the bill for others?

Incidentally, one thing I didn’t say in my article was that you can just get separate checks and pay for your own. That was pointed out to me in the comments on an article on The Consumerist which referenced my original article. That’s true but I’ve found that there’s a lot of places that won’t do that for you easily. If that’s an option, do you think it’s the best one?

Tags: don't pay for others, money, money etiquette, Personal Finance, picking up the bill