Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are • Hacker News Board

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#371

Post by 1024core » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 6:00 PM UTC

int_19h wrote: post #217

1024core wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This (widely disparate eating patterns between friends) used to be a problem, but then we hit on a solution: at the end, when the bill comes, each person adds up what they ate/drank, and adds 30% to that (which covers the tax + tip). Some items can be ordered "for all", and the persons who did that take ownership of those too. It's worked beautifully so far.

Why not just say "separate bills" at the beginning, so that you get them itemized individually?

With a large party (6+), it becomes difficult for the wait staff to track the orders. And it takes longer to get the bills at the end. Some places won't do more than 2-3 bills also.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#372

Post by loco5niner » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 6:01 PM UTC

tedivm wrote: post #22

I have never disagreed with something so much. While I'm financially not doing so bad, I grew up poor. When I was college age going out with friends was complicated- if we all handled our own bills it was one thing, but when I'm not drinking and only eating cheap food to save money splitting the check would literally mean I'm subsidizing other people friends and could be the difference between being able to afford to…

Agreed. This happened to me when I was in college but was working a nice internship. Group lunch with coworkers: I ate a cheap burger with water and ended up helping pay for their salmon and fancy drinks. Did not appreciate it, and would have rather not gone.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#373

Post by EliRivers » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 7:21 PM UTC

nindalf wrote: post #322

abritinthebay wrote: post #237

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, the UK has so much contactless payment and cheap or free transfers that it has, somewhat ironically, limited competition in this sector. Even things like Google Wallet & Apple Pay seem to be treated with a “but... why?” attitude.

From my experience in the UK, those apps allow you to leave your card at home. Not much of a difference if you're carrying a wallet anyway, but if you carry just a phone and a card + ID in the phone case, you can now ditch the card. Otherwise I don't see the benefit.

Ha. I generally leave the phone at home and just take a card. Slimmest wallet I've ever had. I've never carried ID, though. That would double the size of my wallet :(

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#374

Post by mirimir » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 8:39 PM UTC

AstralStorm wrote: post #336

joncrocks wrote: post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which it may well do if you get rear-ended. One 'accident' can become two.

Technically you're supposed to hold on brakes or a hand brake while idle, which makes both points moot. Especially important in clutchless cars or other auto transmissions. The brakes will hold a slipped clutch and a rear end. The clutch has an added benefit of you get rear ended and drop it - engine braking is a thing. Not good for the engine, potentially good for your forward bumper when you get reared.

> The clutch has an added benefit of you get rear ended and drop it - engine braking is a thing.

There's no engine breaking when stopped, if the engine is running.

I typically do keep my foot on the brake when stopped in traffic. And I do balance brakes, clutch and throttle when stopped on a hill. But except for stop-and-go traffic, or when getting ready to punch it, using the clutch and brakes together seems pointless.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#375

Post by gonehome » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 9:49 PM UTC

Kihashi wrote: post #350

wastedhours wrote: post #332

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I prefer square cash, but this entire app ecosystem only exists because American banks don't allow free wires for some reason. Ah - I kept wondering what the main hook for these services was, appreciate efficiency and social effects are the USP, but wondered what the main reason was over and above just a direct transfer from your mobile banking app (how most people I know here in the UK do this).

Lots of banks here (US) offer a p2p transfer services of some sort, but often, it's not as simple to use. For example, through Ally bank, I can send money to someone using PopMoney-- * If I know their bank routing number and account number, I can just send them money directly without any involvement on their end. * Most people will not just give out their account info, even though it's on every check they write. * I…

Most US banks I've dealt with (Wells Fargo, BoA, Simple) allow transfer for free to other members of the same bank, but wiring to another bank can be upwards of $30 (if you can do it at all).

They also often require using a clunky web UI without an ability to do it from a mobile app.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#376

Post by gozur88 » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 10:12 PM UTC

majormajor wrote: post #302

gozur88 wrote: post #98

>"It’s making people less generous and chivalrous,” Ms. Pennoyer said. “It used to be you’d go to a restaurant, and you’d put down your credit cards and split it 50-50, even if one person had steak and one had chicken. But now people pay exactly to the cent." Spoken like the person who always orders steak. I don't drink, so I'm always irritated when I go out to dinner with a bunch of people and someone says "let's ju…

I don't drink, and rarely have the most expensive entree, and hate it when people try to figure out the exact perfect split of a check. It somehow always takes longer than it should, if we're all friends here making roughly the same amount, let's just split it evenly. Dining out with friends isn't solely about turning dollars into calories.

The theory behind splitting the check evenly is if you go out a bunch of times it all evens out. But that doesn't happen if you split the bar tab over non-drinkers.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#377

Post by soylentcola » Mon, Jul 24, 2017, 10:18 PM UTC

thanksgiving wrote: post #147

jamescostian wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm 19 and most people I know use Venmo. I'm curious - around what age are your friends? My parents don't know what Venmo is, and I don't think many of their friends (most in the age range of 40-60) do either.

> I'm 19 and most people I know use Venmo. I'm curious - around what age are your friends? My parents don't know what Venmo is, and I don't think many of their friends (most in the age range of 40-60) do either. Made in 1987 here. I have Paypal as well but I prefer Google Wallet. Google Wallet is directly connected to my bank account. I don't trust Paypal to connect it to my bank account. Why would you trust Venmo wi…

Born in late 70's here, and I've been using Google Wallet like this as well. I used PayPal for things like eBay back in the day before it became such a cluster, and I still occasionally use it when some ticketing system requires it.

But for the past several years I've just defaulted to Wallet ever since they added the ability to attach money to an email like you're attaching a file. I know it's just UI but that was sort of brilliant (if done in the typical fuss-less Google fashion so most don't even notice it).

So while I still lean toward buying rounds or taking turns paying for things with friends I see often, occasionally I'll be out someplace and unexpectedly need cash without a nearby ATM. If a friend has cash, I can just send them funds to pay back. Same goes the other way around.

Other times it's something like ordering tickets to an event and I just buy for myself and a few friends at the same time. Then if they end up going, they can forward me funds at their leisure and no messing with ATMs or writing checks.

Sounds like Venmo is used in a similar way but I've not started using it if only because I already have something I'm satisfied with and the handful of people who even want to use such a thing have it as well. I tend not to proselytize to other people who don't express an interest in doing things this way, but I've yet to run into anyone who is using Venmo.

Although maybe half a year ago I was single for the first time in years and saw a lot of people mostly-jokingly (I hope) on Tinder asking people to Venmo them $5 to get their attention. Seemed like either a cynical/ironic "why not?" sort of joke or the least ambitious prostitutes in history.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#378

Post by jhanschoo » Tue, Jul 25, 2017, 11:28 AM UTC

I find that this article's contention of nickel-and-dining millennial is one instance where technology has enabled a huge change in social mores.

Nickel-and-dining was a problem in the days of loose change, where counting small change was a huge hassle. With Venmo this problem simply does not exist. On the other hand, I would say that payments and reimbursements between friends accurate to the penny on Venmo reflects well on you as a conscientious person.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#379

Post by Scea91 » Tue, Jul 25, 2017, 3:30 PM UTC

Atheros wrote: post #297

KekDemaga wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some credit card services charge a per transaction fee as well as a percentage so spiting the check can begin to eat into his margins.

Then pass the fee on to the customer.

I have no experience with this, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was against the terms of service with the credit card company.

Re: Thanks to Venmo, We Now All Know How Cheap Our Friends Are

#380

Post by endlessvoid94 » Tue, Jul 25, 2017, 11:41 PM UTC

grue2 wrote: post #365

endlessvoid94 wrote: post #82

Sorry but this is nonsense. The fact that there is no more rounding is a better default that we no longer must put any thought into. It's more convenient. I fail to see how it harms the relationship in a way that's "petty". This also completely leaves out the inconvenience of planning a large gathering for friends and fronting all the money yourself. Yes, it may feel "petty" to be reminded to pay your share, but imag…

This article is borderline "Millennial bait," but: Suppose I invite you over to my apartment to hang out. I offer you a beer. You accept, so I tally "1 beer" on a little notepad. You have some potato chips. ("13 chips" goes on your tally.) You use the toilet twice, flushing both times. ("7 gallons of water" goes on your tally.) You're a bit hot, so I turn up the air conditioning. (I need to break out the calculator,…

I see what you're saying. I'd say the petty part there is the tallying the small items I offered to you in my home.

Going out to a restaurant with a group is not the same thing, though. If there are three people eating at a moderately priced restaurant and one person picks up the tab, it's not petty to request reimbursement.

In a cash world, it would be petty to demand exact change because of the extra effort it requires to produce it. In an automatic payments world, it's no extra effort on either side.