Split the cost of a group gift without chasing everyone for a fiver
Someone's leaving, someone's getting married, or it's the end of term and the class wants to get the teacher something. One person usually buys the present and the card, then spends the next fortnight working out who's paid them back. Tabby puts the gift on one shared tab that opens from a link, so everyone can see their share and the buyer can see who's still to pay. No app and no signup.
Why group gifts get awkward
- One person buys the present on their own card and is out of pocket until everyone pays up.
- Nobody is sure what their share is, especially when more people chip in after the gift was bought.
- The card, the flowers and the cake often get bought by different people, so there's more than one person to pay back.
- Chasing colleagues or other parents for money feels awkward, so the buyer quietly covers the gap.
- You can't talk about it in a chat the recipient is in, so it's spread across side chats and DMs.
Gifts people split with Tabby
Leaving gifts
A present and card for a colleague who's moving on or retiring, bought by one person and split across the team.
Birthdays
A milestone birthday present from a group of friends, or the office cake and card.
Weddings and baby showers
A bigger gift off the registry, or a hamper for a colleague going on parental leave.
Teacher presents
An end-of-year gift from the class, organised by one parent and split between the families taking part.
When one person buys the gift
The buyer
Whoever bought the present adds the full amount and picks who's chipping in. If they're contributing too, they include themselves. Everyone sees their share straight away.
The card and the extras
If someone else picked up the card, flowers or cake, they add it as its own expense. Tabby works out what everyone owes overall, so nobody has to do the sums.
Everyone else
Each person pays the buyer by bank transfer, then marks their share as settled. The buyer can see at a glance who's paid and who hasn't.
How to split a group gift with Tabby
-
1
Start a tab for the gift
Call it something like "Priya's leaving present" and pick £. You get a private link straight away.
-
2
Share the link, but not with the recipient
Post it in a side chat or send it round by email. Each person opens it and picks or adds their name. Nobody signs up.
-
3
Add the gift when you buy it
Enter what it cost and who's chipping in. The present, the card and anything else can each be their own expense.
-
4
Everyone pays the buyer back
Tabby shows who owes who. People send a bank transfer and mark it settled, so the buyer knows who's paid without having to ask.
Fair splits for a group present
Tabby splits each expense equally between the people you choose. That suits most group gifts, where everyone puts in the same amount.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| One person bought the gift for everyone | One expense for the gift, split between everyone chipping in |
| The buyer isn't putting in themselves | Leave them off the split so only the others share the cost |
| More people want to chip in after it's bought | If the gift is split between everyone, new joiners are included and everyone's share goes down |
| Different people bought the card and the cake | Add each as its own expense. Tabby nets it into who owes who |
| Some people want to give more | Shares are always equal, so add any extras as a separate expense split between the people who want in |
More ways to use Tabby
Questions
How do you split the cost of a group gift? +
One person buys the gift and adds it to a shared tab, choosing who's chipping in. Everyone sees their equal share and pays the buyer back by bank transfer, then marks it settled.
Can I use Tabby for an office whip-round? +
Yes, if everyone is putting in the same amount towards a gift that's already been bought or priced up. If people are giving whatever they like, a collection envelope or card is simpler. A tab can have up to 30 people.
Does Tabby collect the money? +
No. Tabby only tracks who paid what and who owes who. People pay the buyer directly by bank transfer and mark their share as settled.
Will the person getting the gift see it? +
Only if they get the link. A tab is private to whoever has the link, so share it in a chat or email thread they're not part of.
Is this the Tabby buy now, pay later app? +
No, that's a separate company. This Tabby is a free expense splitter at tabby.money with no ads and no account. It doesn't lend money or take payments.