Going out as a group: how to sort tickets for your friends without the stress

Group nights out are the best kind, and the ticket part is often the worst. Someone offers to buy for everyone, then spends a week chasing transfers. At the gate, all six tickets are on one phone, and that phone is on 4 percent.

None of this has to happen. Here is how to keep a group night simple.

Get a real yes before anyone pays

"I'll come" in a group chat is not the same as "I'm in, here's my money." Get a firm yes from everyone first, ideally with their share, before you buy anything. If there is an early bird price, give your friends a deadline a day or two before it ends, so you are not deciding at midnight on the last day.

One order, separate tickets

The easiest setup is one person buying everything in one order, with each ticket going to the person who will use it. That way every friend has their own ticket on their own phone, and nobody depends on the group's organiser arriving on time.

On Globiqo you can buy several tickets at once, even across different ticket types, and gift tickets to friends by name and email at checkout. Each friend gets the ticket in their own account, with their own QR code.

Already bought them all? Send them on

If you bought every ticket yourself, you can still hand them out. Transfer each one to its owner by email from the ticket in the app, and they claim it in a tap. Once a ticket moves, the copy on your phone stops working, which protects both of you. Transfers close when the event starts, so do this the day before, not in the queue.

Sort the money early

Money is where group plans fall apart. A few things help:

• Share the exact amount per person, including any fee, so nobody is surprised.
• Collect before you buy if you can. Chasing people afterwards is nobody's idea of fun.
• Agree on the extras too: the ride there, the ride back, and a table if you are getting one.

When plans change

Someone always drops out. If a friend can't make it, they don't need to lose their money or sell to a stranger in the comments. If the organiser allows resale, they can list the ticket in the app at a price within the organiser's cap and get paid to their bank when it sells. Or they can simply transfer it to another friend who wants to come.

On the night

• Pick a meeting point near the entrance, not "inside".
• Make sure everyone has opened their ticket at least once before leaving home. Globiqo tickets work offline once they are on your phone, which helps when the network is bad near the venue. On iPhone you can add yours to Apple Wallet too.
• Charge your phone, or bring one power bank for the group.
• Plan the ride home before the first drink.

The whole point of going as a group is to enjoy it together. Get the tickets right, and the rest of the night takes care of itself.