“I’m broke, can you send me urgent 2k”. This is a common slang amongst Nigerians recently. It represents an informal, cunning and easy way to request for money from our friends and families (where 2k actually means Two thousand naira) . Even though, most of the time there is nothing urgent about the 2k, I’m pretty sure most of us have either used this line to request for money or we are at the receiving end of the request . For people to come to you with money requests, they must have put you in a position to be able to come to their aid (we call it the bigger person position- and that’s another slang too). So, if you cannot afford to be a bigger person no matter how small the money may seem especially to those asking for it, then you have a cause for refusal. This can be because it works against your budget, which can create space for financial setbacks which we didn’t plan for. Sometimes, it’s not just about budget, you might be in a financial mess yourself and can’t afford to help or for some personal reasons you just don’t want to offer a helping hand.
Turning down these money requests can be quite difficult especially if they are coming from your loved ones. However, in situations where we have to put ourselves first or we just simply cannot afford it, there are ways in which you can decline diplomatically without being disappointing or offensive.
You can give concrete reasons why you cannot afford to send the money requested at that point in time. This way you are not just saying no abruptly but you are trying to prove to them that you care about them and wish you are in the position to help out but you just can’t because of the situations of things happening in your personal life.It might appear to be that you just paid your house rent, you lost a personal property and need replacement,your salary has not been paid or it could be attributed to business reasons such as paying off debts or restocking on new products or low turnovers. You don’t have to make these reasons up, just genuinely express yourself and buy their understanding with that. That way you get them to reason with you on why you can’t help and this immediately dissolve everything they expect of you and that’s how you say no without actually saying no.
Also, you can promise to meet their demand at a later date. This doesn’t have to come as a form of deceit, realistically decide upon a date in which you can render your helping hand (it can be anytime though,as long as it’s convenient for you) and let it be known to the person making the request. You might have declined the money request for that particular time but you are at the same time giving hope to be able to help at a future date. However, incase of urgent 2k that is actually urgent, the person making the request may not actually find solace in your future promises but at-least you have been able to dissolve yourself of the responsibility of being their helper from heaven for that particular situation. If you are doing this, try to keep to your words especially if the other person is waiting on you.
Another way to tactfully refuse money requests is to offer alternative ideas and suggestions on how the person can get the money elsewhere since it’s not coming from you. You know what they say about stop giving people fish and instead teach them to catch fish, just that in this case we don’t even have fish to give in the first place. You can refer them to other people that you feel have the capability to help or introduce them to opportunities that can earn them money. This way you don’t get to give but you have provided another means for the person to seek money, how nice. You can also offer to help their situations in non monetary ways. For example, if the money is needed to feed, you can invite them over for dinner or if the money is needed to buy something that you own you can choose to borrow or even dash it out depending on how convenient it is for you.
While you are using any of this tactics to refuse money requests, do not forget to be sympathetic with the person making the request and do not talk down on their reason for needing the money requested for even if you find it unnecessary, remember we are doing this in a sensitive and tactful way. Ensure you are still on their good side even though you are refusing their request because it might hurt them considering that they had some faith in you which is why you are on their helpers list in the first place. However, refusing money requests anyhow you deem it fit does not make you a bad person actually no matter how the other person feels about it but being tactical about it just as described above let you maintain the position as your brothers keepers, funds or no funds.
Turning down these money requests can be quite difficult especially if they are coming from your loved ones. However, in situations where we have to put ourselves first or we just simply cannot afford it, there are ways in which you can decline diplomatically without being disappointing or offensive.
You can give concrete reasons why you cannot afford to send the money requested at that point in time. This way you are not just saying no abruptly but you are trying to prove to them that you care about them and wish you are in the position to help out but you just can’t because of the situations of things happening in your personal life.It might appear to be that you just paid your house rent, you lost a personal property and need replacement,your salary has not been paid or it could be attributed to business reasons such as paying off debts or restocking on new products or low turnovers. You don’t have to make these reasons up, just genuinely express yourself and buy their understanding with that. That way you get them to reason with you on why you can’t help and this immediately dissolve everything they expect of you and that’s how you say no without actually saying no.
Also, you can promise to meet their demand at a later date. This doesn’t have to come as a form of deceit, realistically decide upon a date in which you can render your helping hand (it can be anytime though,as long as it’s convenient for you) and let it be known to the person making the request. You might have declined the money request for that particular time but you are at the same time giving hope to be able to help at a future date. However, incase of urgent 2k that is actually urgent, the person making the request may not actually find solace in your future promises but at-least you have been able to dissolve yourself of the responsibility of being their helper from heaven for that particular situation. If you are doing this, try to keep to your words especially if the other person is waiting on you.
Another way to tactfully refuse money requests is to offer alternative ideas and suggestions on how the person can get the money elsewhere since it’s not coming from you. You know what they say about stop giving people fish and instead teach them to catch fish, just that in this case we don’t even have fish to give in the first place. You can refer them to other people that you feel have the capability to help or introduce them to opportunities that can earn them money. This way you don’t get to give but you have provided another means for the person to seek money, how nice. You can also offer to help their situations in non monetary ways. For example, if the money is needed to feed, you can invite them over for dinner or if the money is needed to buy something that you own you can choose to borrow or even dash it out depending on how convenient it is for you.
While you are using any of this tactics to refuse money requests, do not forget to be sympathetic with the person making the request and do not talk down on their reason for needing the money requested for even if you find it unnecessary, remember we are doing this in a sensitive and tactful way. Ensure you are still on their good side even though you are refusing their request because it might hurt them considering that they had some faith in you which is why you are on their helpers list in the first place. However, refusing money requests anyhow you deem it fit does not make you a bad person actually no matter how the other person feels about it but being tactical about it just as described above let you maintain the position as your brothers keepers, funds or no funds.
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