How To Say No Without Saying You’re Broke

Tis the season to spend money.

December is not a cheap month. Everyone wants to go out for dinner and drinks way more than usual in the lead-up to Christmas and New Year and endless invitations teamed with having to buy people Christmas presents means that your overdraft probably can’t save you this time.

No one really wants to admit that they’re broke when someone asks why you can’t come out. They’ll probably plead with you that it’s fine and you can afford to come for one drink, but even if you know you’re at the bottom of your overdraft with no money coming in it can be hard to give a firm no sometimes.

Well, if you’re already feeling stressed about the next few weeks here are some easy ways you can tell people no without having to say you’re broke.

Stick to your plans

Ugh, we know those spontaneous plans are normally the best ones. But if you’re worried about your finances and you’ve already made a few solid plans for the coming weeks, you don’t need to be slotting in any more. Even if your friend is begging you to come on a last-minute night out, if it’s not something you’ve already planned and budgeted for then you’re going to have to give it a miss. The best way to turn people down is to stick to what you’ve already planned.

All you have to say is that you can’t come out because you’re doing x with x the next morning, or you have to get up early to do something that you’ve already planned. Once people know you have an actual reason for not wanting to come out or you’re simply too busy (even if that’s a little white lie), they tend to let up on the pestering.

Suggest a different activity

If your friend is begging you to go to dinner and drinks at a restaurant that’s £££ out of your current budget but you’d still like to see them, simply suggest meeting somewhere else which isn’t quite as spenny. You don’t have to make it obvious that it’s because of the money. You could say that you prefer the menu elsewhere or that you’ve seen a good drinks deal at a different bar. If drinking and dinner is going to cost too much, you could try suggesting something else, like Christmas shopping (or browsing so you don’t have to buy anything) and lunch out. If all else fails, there’s always spoons and when you order from the app you’re easily in control of your budget.

Act super busy

If you can’t afford to do something this month simply tell people you’re super booked up with family or friends over the next few weeks and you won’t have time to slot something else in. Trust us, it’s super believable that at this time of year you’re going to be inundated with plans, even if you’re actually not. This way you could suggest an alternative time in the new year. Arranging future plans while you decline upcoming one is a good way to show that you actually do want to hang out, you just can’t make it right now.

Remember your boundaries and your budget

You don’t have to decline every single event, but you do have to remember your budget and not get carried away or persuaded into paying for something you don’t want to. If someone is suggesting splitting a bill equally instead of buying what you paid for or doing a round of drinks, this can often work out to be way more expensive than just buying your own. When it comes to paying for the bill, remember to speak up and say you don’t want to split equally before you get pressured into paying for someone else’s food!

Just say no

Seriously, you don’t need to justify your answer. If you’re broke and people are asking you out for drinks, no is an easy enough answer to understand. You really don’t need an elaborate reason as to why you can’t come, your friends or family should respect your decision either way. No is a complete sentence and you should never be pressured to spend money you don’t have.

Remember you can save money 24/7 with Student Beans this Christmas and we have plenty of discounts at all your favourite brands and restaurants that you might be visiting to help you save money.