Eight Ways Tech Can Split the Dinner Bill for You

There is always that little moment of dread among friends at the dinner table when the check arrives; how best to split it? The subject can be a minefield and cause hard feelings. But this is the 21st Century; we have computers in our pockets. There are plenty of apps that can help us split the bill and settle up with one another so that the end of our evening is a pleasant as the beginning. Here are eight ValuePenguin-researched ways tech can help you do just that.

Splitting the Bill

1. Using Tab, take a photo of the bill, and then each person taps the items they ordered. Tab calculates what each person owes for the meal and drinks, the tax and tip (which your waiter or waitress will appreciate). Those in your party with the app can log onto the bill from their own phones. If people have shared an item, they can each select it, and the app will split that item between them. If you are part of a group taking someone out for a celebration, Tab can split their items evenly between the rest of the group. Tab is integrated with Venmo, so you can settle with the other members of your party without leaving Tab. You can see summaries of past bills and e-mail them to friends. Tab is available for both iPhone and Android and it’s free.
2. With Billr.me, choose the number of people in your party; the limit is 16. Enter the cost of each item. Billr.me even allows you to split shared items. You set the tax and tip amount and the app splits the costs for you. You can show each person what they owe or send them a copy of the bill via text or e-mail. The app is only available for iPhone and costs $0.99.
3. Photograph the bill and Divvy will scan and highlight each item. You drag each item to the icon that represents each person in your party. The app calculates each person's share including tax and tip. Divvy is only available for iPhone and costs $0.99.
4. Plates by Splitwise allows the bill to be split among up to ten people. Each item must be entered and you can split shared items. The tax and tip are calculated. If you don't want to fuss over everything on the check, you can enter only certain items and the app will split the rest evenly among the group. You can merge plates too, so if there is a couple in your group, you can add their items separately and then join them to get one total for both. You can send the final tally via text or e-mail. This app is available for iOS and Android and is free. (Splitwise is also useful for dividing costs with your roommate.)

Settling up

Now that you know how much everyone owes, you can use these handy apps to transfer money to the member of your party who is paying the check.

1. PayPal.Me lets you grab a personal link, which can be e-mailed or texted to friends who owe you money. The recipient opens the link, enters the amount they're paying and the money is transferred to you. If you've set the link to "Family and Friends," it's free for you to receive the money so long as the payer is from the same country as you. It's free for the payer to send money to you if they are using money from their PayPal balance or bank account. If they use a credit or debit card, there is a 2.9% fee and a transaction fee of $0.30. The app is available for iOS and Android.
2. You can use the Venmo app but as it's linked to your e-mail and telephone number, you don't even have to open the app. You can pay instead by replying to a text notification from the party requesting payment as long as you have a Venmo account too. There are no fees for transfers from bank accounts and major debit cards. If you use a credit card or a smaller bank’s debit card, the fee is 3%. The app is available for iOS and Android.
3. You can send or receive money via Facebook Messenger after adding your debit card number to your account. Open a chat with the recipient, click on the dollar icon and enter the amount, add your debit card number and hit “Pay.” There is no charge for either the sender or receiver. The app is available for both iOS and Android.
4. ClearXChange sends money directly between the payer's bank and the payee's bank. You can log into the app or your bank's app. Select the amount of money you want to send and add the recipient’s email or phone number. ClearXChange handles the rest; they contact each bank to facilitate the transaction. Even if your bank is not in the network, you can still use the system to receive payments. There is no fee to use the service. The app is available for both iOS and Android.

The article Eight Ways Tech Can Split the Dinner Bill for You originally appeared on ValuePenguin.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.