DEAR HARRIETTE: I have become part of a group of female colleagues at my job who like to go out for dinner and drinks once a week. It’s nice to get to know these women, but I am in an entry-level role, and I can’t afford to keep up with them. I don’t want to come off as not wanting to spend time with them, and I also don’t want to cry poor. How can I handle this? I know that bonding with colleagues can lead to opportunities, but this weekly engagement is way above my pay grade. -- Can't Hang, Rochester, New York
DEAR CAN’T HANG: Perhaps you can go for drinks with the group but not stay for dinner. If you bring cash, you can give the money for your drink(s) plus tip to one of the people who will be staying, and then you can dash out without making a scene or having to share in the cost of a group bill, which often can become unwieldy.
You can also say at some point along the way that you can’t afford it. Trust that you won’t be the only one. Perhaps you can commit to joining them once a month. That may be an amount you can manage.