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A good friend of mine once said, “I’m boujee on a budget.” I think most commonly it is, “boujee on no budget.”

Why is it so awkward to ask people to pay us back? I don’t know of anyone who enjoys sending the dreaded message, “when you have a sec, do you mind sending me that money?” 

I actually do know of one person who enjoys asking and that’s Rihanna. She gets right to the point with, “bitch better have my money.”

I think we could all learn a lesson or two from RiRi. 

Although, everyone has different expectations when it comes to exchanging money. No one wants to sound cheap, broke or irresponsible.

My trouble is I often want to gift other people by paying, so I tell them not to worry about paying me back but then my credit card begs me to pay them back.

I have a friend where we have a running tab. Similar to Norm on Cheers but it goes both ways. We never pay each other back, we just pick something else to pay for the next time we get together. If she paid for drinks last night, I’ll pay for her Diet Coke the next morning. I’ll pay for lunch if she drove (and we made it safely with her driving). If she cooks dinner, I drink her wine. That last one I need to work on.

We will repeat this forever and ever until the end of time and that’s what we like to call “girl math.”

Therefore, I don’t have any advice on how to ask for someone to pay you back with confidence and no awkwardness, but I do know how to send a professional email regarding money. Or do I…

In Ripley’s Believe It, there was a hole in my pants. Today, there was a hole in my head. 

Our facility consists of two separate programs, meaning one recreation therapist for each. However, staff, residents, family members and persistent entertainers communicate with us as if we are interchangeable. 

We may be around the same height, sound familiar and have the same opinion 99.9% of the time, but one of us is younger and much cooler. 

When we both receive the same email, we decide amongst ourselves who is the appropriate person to respond. We do so in the most mature way we know possible –  emailing the other person with, “tag you’re it.” 

People from the ages of 3 to 93 know you can’t question ‘tag you’re it.’

Now in any organization (and I boldly assume in everyone’s personal life as well) budget is the most talked about topic. In most recreation therapy departments, we’re usually counting pennies (or I guess in today’s day in age, nickels). So we tend to get a little scrappy when people try to take from our piggy bank. 

One day, a staff member reached out to the both of us (naturally) regarding the installation of additional internet portals on one of my floors. It was highly suggested that the installation fee be charged to the recreation therapy budget.

If I’m asked to pay for something that I don’t understand what it is, I shouldn’t have to pay for it. Like taxes, for instance.

I replied only to my co-recreation therapist expressing my feelings towards the suggestion. Or so I meant to…

Immediately after clicking send, I realized I had accidentally replied all to the email. This meant that the building manager was about to see an email of mine where I ended my sentences with sarcastic “lols”. 

While my palms were sweaty, knees weak and arms were heavy, I attempted to retract the email.

Apparently the manager was also quick with her mouse because she had already opened the email before I was able to fix my mistake.

So with my piggy tail between my legs, I emailed her, this time on purpose, apologizing for responding before collecting my thoughts.

Within seconds she sent an untroubled response stating she actually giggled reading my email and understood where I was coming from. 

Thankfully, the installation fee was not charged to the recreation therapy budget and I currently, still have my job.

I just hope this doesn’t mean I owe her now…