To pay or not to pay

Yes we have the same problem we have been here for 6 months now they eat us out of house and you are not alo

When we lived in the UK we used to socialise a lot with our friends and it was always agreed that we would have a "kitty" to cover the cost of the meals, drinks etc.    We have now lived in Catral for 14 years and enjoy every minute.   Our friends from the UK still visit us regularly and we still have a "kitty".  We usually all put in a nominal amount, i.e. 50 euros each for fuel for the car, meals out, drinks and food for the house, topped up as necessary.   It all works out very well, no-one has complained and we are not left with an empty bank balance at the end of their stay.  

No one stays at my house. Whether I am in it or not. It's my home and we like our own space. If we get visitors when we are there, I get them a private rental around the corner.

I'm moving out soon but my friends have already agreed to pay 50 euros into a kitty - a lot cheaper than a hotel! If you are putting them up, shouldn't they be taking you out???

We will do the same - a kitty for food and drink in the villa. If your visitors are big drinkers (they are on holiday after all) keep to yourselves when you go out to eat and drink. We are retired now so like you guys are now on a smaller budget than we were in the UK. 

You should also take into account in the ‘kitty’ the cost of water/electricity/gas etc which can amount to quite a lot here. You aren’t running an hotel and I think it should be a polite request to anyone staying for longer than one or two nights that a contribution is necessary.

I see where you are coming from especially if the air con is on all the time in summer. That might prove difficult unless you talk about it beforehand.

don't use the aircon!!!!! Do what the inhabitants of very hot countries have done for hundreds of years and shut out the heat  - it works like a charm!!!! All you need then is a fan. I argued with my 90 year old mother over this as she has been here for 60 years and doesn't have aircon, but have had to admit she is correct. We've got internal wooden shutters on our bedroom windows, so I keep them closed all day until it gets cooler - the room remains cool - and then open the house up. Downstairs I drop the roller blinds - white - as we have 5 pairs of French doors as well as windows - and it's perfectly comfortable with just a fan! Saves a lot of  money!!!!!! But I take your point.

I understand exactly how you feel, and these are the most disgraceful examples of bad manners by ‘guests’ foisted upon you. However, under the circumstances and however difficult, one has to assert one’s position and make it clear that you are not in a position to pay for everybody. You are delighted to meet the other parties and they are most welcome to join your outing, but on the understanding that everyone will present a c/card on receipt of the bill and it will be divided equally amongst you - I don’t think nitpicking over who had what - unless it was huge amounts of expensive wine - is really appropriate, so equal division should solve it