Collecting money for a group gift

The organiser always loses

Someone has to buy the gift up front, then chase everyone else for their share. Two people pay instantly, three need reminding, one “forgets,” and the organiser is out of pocket for weeks. Collecting for a group gift is a small logistics problem that a little structure solves.

A clean way to run it

• --Set the per-head amount first — total gift ÷ number of people — and share it clearly.
• --Use one shared ledger so everyone can see who's paid and who hasn't (peer pressure does the chasing for you).
• --Log the purchase as one expense, split across contributors, then mark each person paid as they settle.
• --Settle as they pay — mark each contribution the moment it lands, so the running total stays live and accurate.

Handle the edge cases kindly

Someone on a tight budget? Let contributions be optional or variable rather than a fixed amount — a shared ledger handles uneven splits fine. The goal is a nice gift and a stress-free organiser, not exact-to-the-rupee enforcement.