If a friend doesn't want to pay for a debt, it can be a very stressful situation. You might feel like you're being taken advantage of and that your friend is not being fair. You might even feel like they are stealing from you, which is never a good feeling. But, how do you go about getting your money back? What happens if they don't want to pay the debt back? This article will help you navigate this tricky situation.

Offer Some Good Persuasion.

If you want to get your friend to pay the debt back, it's important that you're both on the same page with what happened. You need to communicate with them and explain what happened, why it's important for them to pay back the money, and how they can go about doing so. The more information they have, the easier it will be for them to make a decision.

Being a debt collector for years, I have heard multiple excuses of people trying to avoid paying their debts, but since both of you have personal relationships, try to understand what is happening to your friend.

If they are going through hard times, try to help them out. If they have other priorities, then you can't force them to pay back the debt, but at least try to understand where they are coming from.

Gently remind them of their promises.

I know you are the last person on earth who wants to remind your friend about their debts, but it's important that you do. When you're talking with them, gently remind them of what they promised and how much time has passed since then. If they've been avoiding your calls or texts ( I post mo sa social media or ipa Tulfo mo joke lang dito) just keep on reminding them about it. A daily follow-up will be sufficient if they've gotten behind. By doing so, they will understand that you are eager to collect the amount owed by them. If they are still reluctant to pay up, you can use a softer approach by trying to appeal to their better judgment. Explain why it's important for them to keep their word, and remind them of how much time has passed since they promised it.

Explore the Reason Behind Their Refusal to Pay

In collections, we call this RFD or Reason for Delay. Each time there's a delay in payment, even if it is a day behind, we ask our clients to explain why they got late. This can work too with your friend, and for sure, they have their reasons for not making the payment on the agreed date. Find out what's holding them back. Maybe it's a financial issue, or maybe there's something else going on in their lives. If you can understand why they're hesitant to pay up, you can find an alternative solution that works for both of you. Always try to search for a win-win situation for both, though I know that it will be hard nowadays to have that as there's a commitment broker already due to non-payment. But at least try and see if there's a way to work things out. If you can't come up with an alternative, or if they won't budge, then you might have to call it quits.

$$ Cut your friend off completely.

Some would say that it is just money and friendship should not be affected by that, but for me, it does matter! Trust is something that can never be replaced once broken, especially if the amount owed is quite big. It’s not about the money, it’s about trust. If you don't have a good relationship with someone, then it's better that you cut them off completely. You don't need people around you who will take advantage of your kindness or generosity and use it against you.

I myself had been promised to be paid by the people who owe me money, but they never did, and even after so many years, I still haven't been paid. It is frustrating as there are certain points in my life when I need the money, but as I always believed then, it is better not to be in debt to other people and try to save more and more funds.

I also get loans from friends. Do not get me wrong, but I make sure that I pay them ahead of time. Thanks to earning money by blogging, I am able to pay for such things if I need to get a loan from others. I always tell my friends to try doing what I do, especially if they are in need of money, but then again, they just want the easy way and not grind.

This post was inspired by the blog post created by @Jijisaur: Now I Am The One Chasing...

Lead Image was from Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash