Asking your friends for money? Use an Emoji

July 14, 2017 7:12 PM

You could turn a cold transaction into something a little more comfortable.

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Asking your friends for money is always awkward.

Whether you’re looking for a little help or the money you’re rightfully owed, it’s hard not to feel uncomfortable while asking someone near and dear to fork over the loot. That tension is easing, however, thanks to Venmo and its emoji integration.

Asking your friends for money is always awkward. Whether you’re looking for a little help or the money you’re rightfully owed, it’s hard not to feel uncomfortable while asking someone near and dear to fork over the loot. That tension is easing, however, thanks to Venmo and its emoji integration.

If you and your friends aren’t using the PayPal-owned app already, Venmo is a way to send and receive payments that almost turns your transactions into social media. Users send along messages with their payments or requests for money, and emojis in particular are a popular choice. 71 percent of people use emojis while texting or using mobile apps, according to a survey from Harris Poll. And on Venmo, using emojis could turn a cold transaction into something a little more comfortable, Reuters reports.

Hilary Gish, 30, told Reuters she loves Venmo because she can ask people for money “with a smile,” adding that “it’s a fun and polite way of asking for money.” Another user, 29-year-old Ella Nuortila, cited its similarity to social media as a reason for using Venmo.

“A lot of my contacts make [their transactions] public, and it gives insight to their personal lives, much like a Facebook feed,” she said.

If your social anxiety normally holds you back from asking for money, curb that fear. Simply send a Venmo request with a nice smiley next time a friend owes you for a round of drinks or that split cab.

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