The Ultimate Guide to Borrowing Etiquette
The handling of a lender to lendee situation can truly make or break a friendship.
Use the below rules as an ultimate borrower's guide to handle any situation with complete grace.
Rules for the Borrower:
1. Never borrow anything you can't return. If your pal decides to lend you something you're always going to need, skip the awkward situation of keeping said product for too long and just buy your own.
2. If you break it, you buy it. This seems like a simple courtesy, but you'd be surprised how often people throw the item away and hope the person they borrowed from will forget about it. Simply apologize and buy your friend a new one. They'll appreciate that way more than you dodging their texts about it.
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3. Ask when they'll need it back. Know the time frame you have and stick to it. Be respectful to your bud and return their stuff when they need it. If you consistently do this, they'll trust you and will always be open to lending to you.
4. Don't be upset if they say no. It will only make the situation worse and you risk causing a rift over something you can probably acquire yourself.
5. Ask in a timely manner. If you wait until the last minute to ask for something and the lender can't accommodate, that isn't their fault. Make sure to give yourself and your pal plenty of time to avoid any emergency planning or stress.
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6. Don't ask to borrow family heirlooms or sentimental items. If something is clearly very special to the lender, it's better not to ask to borrow it. More than likely, the item is too close to their heart to even consider letting someone else use it.
Rules for the Lender:
1. Give them a set time frame. If you know you're going to need the item for something, make sure to tell the borrower. They won't know you need it back if you don't let them know you'll need it back ASAP.
2. Be upfront. Avoid the uncomfortable, passive aggressive text message method and straight-up ask where your item is if you've been waiting a while for it back.
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3. Write out an agreement. This might seem a little extreme, but if someone's borrowing money or another serious item from you, it's a good idea to write up an agreement. This insures that you both keep your end of the bargain.
4. Anger is not the answer. If a good friend keeps an item much longer than they should and you've asked for it back, it won't help to get angry at them. Politely sit them down and have a conversation about trust and why the item is important to you. If they still don't return it, consider it a lesson learned and don't lend them anything else.
5. Keep it among close friends if you can help it. Your BFFs will be more likely to treat your things with respect and return them in a prompt manner.
Now that you know all the proper etiquette for borrowing and lending, HERE is the etiquette to follow on Twitter.