Journal · Settling up
Keep receipts the easy way: photo, note, done
A three-second habit for shared receipts, so you never argue about what dinner cost.
Paper receipts fade, get crumpled in pockets, and disappear in the wash. When it is time to split, nobody can remember if dinner was S$186 or S$168.
The three-second habit
When you pay for something shared:
- Take a photo of the receipt.
- Add a short note: what it was, who it was for.
- Record the amount in your group list, right away.
That is all. You can throw the paper away.
What to write down
- the date
- the total you paid, including charges
- who it is shared with
- the currency, if you are abroad
"8 Nov, dinner at the hawker centre, S$64, the four of us." That is enough.
Card statements are not enough
Your card statement shows the amount, but not who it was shared with or what it was for. A month later, a line that says "RESTAURANT SG" will not help.
When you forget a receipt
It happens. Write down what you remember as soon as you can, and mark it as an estimate. Most friends are happy with an honest best guess.
Keep your privacy
When you share a photo of a receipt in a group chat, crop out anything private, such as the last digits of your card or a loyalty number.
For bigger trips
On holidays, keep one shared list for the whole group. It is much easier than collecting receipts from five people at the airport.
With Perpax
Perpax, coming soon from Goldmend Money, will let you add a receipt photo and a note to each bill, kept on your phone. Reading receipts with Sen, the Goldmend Money assistant, is planned for later.
General information, not financial or legal advice. Figures are examples. Check your receipt and official sources.