There is nothing more problematic than having friends who do not like to spend their own money.

I would like to think I am the most diplomatic of people. But one thing that gets me quite annoyed is having to deal with the ‘kunjoos (stingy) crew’ among us.

Okay, let me explain. I get several texts from some people on a regular basis wanting to go out for a meal. We go out for the meal and the person who invited us all out just happens to have left his wallet at home.

At first I believed the story but several visits later you kind of get the feeling this fellow is lying. The excuses mounted up. Funnily enough, each was better than the last.

We tend not to like to talk about money so much – it is the British within us. The greatest trick this guy did was managing to play friends off one another.

You send several texts to several different people, making each one think one of the others has invited the group out. Each time it is the one who wishes not to spend his money who gets out of paying.

You would think if you are invited out then you would at least have the means to pay your way.

Once I turned up after being pestered for several hours to go out to find he had no money. I know in these difficult times we all want to save as much money as possible but the extent some folk go to is surprising.

The frustrating thing is the fellow who does not pay earns as much as everyone else. But through a series of well-rehearsed moves manages to get himself out of paying.

Slowly, this fellow found himself frozen out of Friday evenings. But somehow he managed to find the takeaway we were frequenting. It was embarrassing I guess but necessary. The problem is some of these folk do not seem to have learnt their lesson.

So, now when I get a text from anyone asking me whether I want to go out for meal I ignore it.

Might as well join the ‘crew’.