Friends of convenience: 7 signs that help identify them

“The most evident way to spot a convenience friend is if they always seem to need something from you, be it financial help, a favour, or your time or support in some form.”

Indeed, asking for help and support from friends is warranted and even advisable when we’re faced with adverse situations. Nevertheless, if you feel this is mostly one-sided and you never seem to be able to rely on their support in your time of need, you may be a convenient friend for them.

3. They’re not around when you need them

Close friendships are based on offering steadfast support through tough times. Indeed, friends of utility may demand that you put them first when they need your help. Ironically they almost always seem unavailable when you need help, or it’s just too inconvenient for them to show up in support for you. If a friend lets you down too often, or you frequently hear them stating an excuse like, “I’d do that for you/ be there for you, but...”, you likely are a friend of convenience to them.

4. You’re not a first option for social events 

Real friends look forward to your presence and seek your company in a consistent manner, through good times and bad. So, if you often find yourself being the first resort for support when a friend is in trouble, yet you’re a forced choice or a runner-up friend when it comes to social events or hangout plans, you are likely a convenient friend for them. 

Friend ignores you when together? You may be just for convenience shutterstock/prostock-studio

An easy method to spot if you’re a friend of convenience for someone is to look out for signs of avoidance when it comes to party invitations or group gatherings. If they make you feel left out and unwanted during the good times on a regular basis, yet turn to you for help without fail, this could be one of the signs your friend doesn’t care about you, but just finds you a convenient option when the need arises.

5. They don’t value your opinion

This one hit home, as this is how I identified that I was someone’s friend of convenience. Once I helped a grieving friend through his heartbreak, by being there for him whenever he wanted to vent or needed some company because he was feeling blue. However, it was evident after a while that the friend did not really appreciate my efforts, or even value my inputs on how to move on. Instead, I was just a convenient and available option, or a mere listening post, so to speak.

You could be a convenience friend if someone shares their story with you just because you’re available or tend to listen to them without judgment, but they’re distracted or dismissive when you offer an opinion. Indeed, offering support in tough times and mindful listening are some of the qualities of true friendship. However, it is tough to consider someone a good friend if they do not value your advice – or worse – start questioning your judgment or decision-making abilities. 

6. They show no interest in your life

If you’ve frequently noticed that a friend shares everything that’s bothering them or interests them with you but seems to lose interest or shuts down when you’re sharing something about yourself, this is another indication that you’re merely a convenient friend.  

“if you often find yourself being the first resort for support when a friend is in trouble, yet you’re a forced choice or a runner-up friend when it comes to social events or hangout plans, you are likely a convenient friend for them. .”

Real friendships are characterized by how well you know each other and are aware of their interests, whims, goals, as well as new developments and events taking place in each other’s lives. Which is why your friend’s dismissive attitude and lack of interest in what you have to say can come across as a prominent red flag. Their tendency to withhold attention from your problems and feelings – as they shift the focus back onto themselves – can deem it a friendship based on convenience.

7. You’re always operating around their schedule

Friends of utility expect you to always be available to fulfil their whims and fancies, or to rescue them from a situation. You can also identify if you’re a convenient friend to someone if they repeatedly expect you to be at their beck and call, and if they never seem to understand or respect your priorities. 

While they’re never there for you when you may need their assistance or support, they are likely to demand your time and presence as and when they like it. As a result, you may begin to regard such friendships as burdensome and unreasonable.

Can being a convenient friend have benefits?

Although this may sound counterintuitive, having a convenient friend in your life isn’t necessarily always a bad thing. In fact, having a few friendships based on ease and convenience “can actually strengthen a friendship”, according to Irene S. Levine, a friendship expert who manages the website The Friendship Blog. According to Levine, having casual friends who live nearby, have similar schedules as you or meet you frequently over shared interests can be an enriching experience, as it “makes the logistics of friendship easier”.

How to deal with convenient friends

Often, maintaining superficial or casual friendships can be helpful and even productive, especially at workplaces or when you have similar interests. But it’s important to remember that mutual trust and respect are key to maintaining friendships, however casual they may seem. 

Here are some pointers that can help us evaluate if such convenience friends are worth our time and effort.

• Remember the context How friendships of convenience are perceived mostly differs from one individual to another. While some consider it a waste of time, I personally don’t agree. For instance, I met an old acquaintance of mine at the gym few months ago and learned that she was a fellow strength-training enthusiast as well. We started to bond over perfecting forms, learning new exercises, and motivating each other to get better. 
  
  Indeed, we do miss each other’s presence at the gym if one of us doesn’t show up one day or calls in sick. However, working out together and checking up on each other occasionally is the extent of our interactions, and we don’t really call ourselves the best of friends. I find this perfectly acceptable and rational, as we don’t find the need to burden each other with other aspects of our lives. Friendships of convenience are easier to maintain and carry forward, if both parties are clear about what they derive from the relationship and what makes it worth their while.
   
• Set clear boundaries and expectations It’s important that you set better boundaries and clear expectations right at the inception of a casual friendship. Remember to create the framework of a friendship based on the traits and characteristics that are vital to you. Is it important for you that your friends listen to you when you have something to share or discuss? Does it matter to you that your opinions are valued and respected? If so, including these characteristics while setting expectations can strengthen the friendship, instead of making it feel one-sided or exhausting.
   
• Know when to end a friendship Sometimes we maintain one-sided convenient friendships despite being aware of them, because we mistake it for kindness – or worse – we’re used to the presence of these people in our lives. However, sometimes it’s better to end a friendship that’s causing you too much distress. Embracing the unknown and adapting to the discomfort of uncertainty can be good for our personal growth, and may even help us discover better, more rewarding friendships instead.

Takeaway: friends of convenience

Friendships based on convenience can be a good thing, especially when they’re mutually beneficial and built on trust for one another. However, friendships that aren’t based on a genuine connection can start to feel one-sided and tend to collapse during hardships. 
 

Knowing the indicators of being a convenient friend can help you evaluate the worth of the friendship accordingly, before you invest your precious time and effort into nurturing the same. •