Column by Julia Thurén: A trip to the cottage can ruin your bank account

It would be nice to be the goofy guy in your circle of friends who doesn’t count his money – and doesn’t talk about it all. But not talking about money can be indifferent to others, writes Thurén.

I think that if that is the case, then women are better at managing money. It takes people’s feelings and situations into account. Because money and sharing things is a delicate business. Paying for joint trips to the cottage and on holiday is not just about euros, but about basic needs that should be reconciled: saving face, autonomy and belonging to a group.

Then there are all sorts of situations that require discussion, at least if they recur: who pays for the children’s meals on a trip to the cottage, the child’s guardian or also the childless in the party? A 14-year-old eats quite a lot. Can alcohol be bought separately if some of the gang don’t drink? What about cheese and vegans? Well, the reality is that people will do anything to avoid embarrassing situations and losing face. So these things are often not discussed, just gritted teeth.

The most basic human need is to belong. It’s disgusting not to be able to go out with friends because you can’t afford a three-course meal. And in these days of inflation and high interest rates, it doesn’t even require a very small monthly income. On the other hand, it seems that recently it has become more and more acceptable to say out loud that a middle-class person has no money for anything. That’s good: people should learn to say that they can’t afford it.

On a trip to Tanzania, we set up a bank where we put dollars as the cashier was empty. Then, of us, Swahili’s language, took care of restaurant orders and paid a whole number of meals.

You can also fine -tune your job: my friend’s sailing trips are made so that the entire boat trip costs are assembled in the pot and the daily price is lowered. Some of the women are on the ride for only a few days, some for a week.

If the operation is greater, such as the wedding party, the use of Google equipment, pre-orders, and the distribution of expenses per face will work. But in practice, this requires a producer.

For trips, you have to realize that the only resource consumed is not just money. Someone usually puts more time and energy in the common pot – and it can be more valuable.

*Julia Thurén*

*The author is an entrepreneur whose favorite speech is money.*