How would you respond if a friend asked to borrow money from you?

Padma95551

Yesterday, when I was about to go to sleep, a longtime friend suddenly came to me and said that they wanted to borrow some money. The reason was that they had recently made a mess in the stock market, and their funds were tied up, causing some financial problems. They wanted to borrow some money from me to manage their situation.

Although I'm not currently short on money, encountering a friend asking for a loan still left me feeling conflicted. It's not that I can't lend the money; it's just that when a friend comes to borrow money, it can be emotionally complex. This friend isn't someone who only contacts me when they need money; on the contrary, we've maintained a good relationship over the years. I've previously discussed with them about their stock trading activities, but at that time, their stance was that they wouldn't resort to borrowing money from others. However, it seems they couldn't avoid it in the end.

My belief is that it's best for friends to avoid too much financial involvement, as borrowing money can strain the friendship. So, faced with this friend's request for a loan, I find myself in a dilemma. On one hand, if I lend the money and considering our relationship, I don't expect them to pay it back immediately. However, they likely won't see it that way. I've always believed that one of the fundamental aspects of a friendship is equality, but if I lend them the money, our roles will shift – one becomes a debtor, the other a creditor – and the nature of our friendship will change.

I'm writing this post not necessarily seeking advice, as since they've already asked, I will likely lend the money. I just wanted to share with everyone that in reality, it's not easy to talk about such matters with others, but on a forum where no one knows me personally, there's no harm in sharing. Losing money in the stock market is somewhat similar to gambling losses; it's essential to play within one's means and not end up like my friend, needing to borrow money and burdening others. When it comes to such situations, one must really exercise caution, caution, and more caution.

divya939393

It depends on how much they're asking to borrow and also the nature of the friendship. If they're a close friend, and the amount they're asking for isn't significant, then it's possible to lend the money.

Reman777

Borrowing money for cryptocurrency trading and borrowing money for gambling have similar characteristics.

Neel4141

When you don't have money, there's no need to deal with anything; you're already in a tough situation yourself...

dharmendar

I don't have money, so I don't have this worry either.

gautam

When friends ask me for money, I always say: "I don't have money, please ask your family instead. Hahaha."