International Friendship Day 2025

International Friendship Day: How Supporting Mates with Money Advice Can Strengthen Male Friendships 

It’s unlikely you know this: male friendships are one of the biggest buffers against stress amongst men. Yet sadly, many men are going it alone. Research shows that only a quarter of men have six or more close friends, while 15% say they have no close friends at all.

That’s not just sad, it’s a serious issue. Male loneliness is linked to poorer mental health, increased stress and even shorter lifespans. But here’s the good news, small acts of support, like giving a finance tip, can make a big difference.

Sources 

Greater Good Science Centre - Why Male Friendships Are So Important

Surveys on Men's Shrinking Social Circles

How Men Bond and Its Effect  

Men often bond through action rather than conversation - think pubbing, football, and work. But emotions still underlie these. A study found that male friendships are vital for emotional regulation, resilience and wellbeing, improving quality of life and overall performance. Opening up to a mate over a beer, especially about tougher topics like money, can reduce mental strain significantly. As they say a problem shared is a problem halved, and in this case it could be a problem solved. 

Talking Money with Your Mates: A Real Act of Friendship 

Whether it’s helping a mate avoid debt or sharing business expenses advice, financial honesty is a huge act of trust and support. This could be a big help for your mates, and how much you help your mates enhances the quality of your friendship. 

All it takes is a heads-up. 

Help Their Pockets: They Could Be Owed £3,000 from HMRC

If you have friends working in:

• Construction
• Security
• The Armed Forces
• Offshore work (like oil rigs or wind farms)
  
  

They could be owed an average of £3,000 in tax refunds from HMRC.

Most don’t even know about it. All it takes is a quick nudge in the right direction. 

Refer your mate to RIFT Tax Refunds today 

Friendship That Pays (Literally)

Since launching our Refer a Friend scheme, we’ve already paid out millions in tax refunds. Every successful referral helps someone get back what they’re owed and you get a £50 thank you from us too. Check out our Referral FAQs and success stats here.

Key Takeaways:

• Male friendships protect against stress and mental health issues.
  
  
• Talking about money with mates is a powerful way to offer support.
  
  
• Many workers in key industries are owed tax refunds and RIFT can help.
  
  
• You can help your friends and earn rewards through our Refer a Friend scheme.

Support your mates and share RIFT’s tax refund service with them.