After a fire, one Reddit user asked for a $50,000 loan, leaving him weighing financial boundaries and friendships.
According to the original poster, the friend said she was “struggling” and requested the money to cover personal expenses and maintain her business. She demanded an answer by the next day.
The OP described the situation on the r/AmIOverreacting subreddit, writing that they hesitantly answered “maybe” because they didn’t know how to say no at the time.
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“I don’t like borrowing money,” OP wrote. The OP mentioned an experience after college where they lent $2,000 to a roommate and promised to pay it back within a month. The money was never returned and the OP later realized they were blocked.
In this case, the OP writes, the friend is not completely broke. This friend has most of her money invested in stocks, and she doesn’t want to sell her stocks when the market drops. The friend had very little cash available for daily use and had no clear repayment plan, the post said.
The OP also wrote that they had previously advised the friend to keep cash for emergencies. The OP writes that there are financial and personal risks associated with such a large loan.
OP wrote in the update that they declined the loan and set clear boundaries.
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“If OP borrowed money – they will never pay it back. Over time they will claim it was a gift. My dad always told me to never lend money to a friend. If you do – only do it if you know you may never get it back,” one commenter wrote. Another added: “My dad always said never borrow money unless you’re willing to lose friendship or money.”
Some responses focused on the friend’s explanation that her money was invested.
“Keep it short and direct: ‘Sorry, I can’t lend you money. I know you don’t want to, but I think you need to sell some stock.'”
Other comments emphasized that the amount alone warranted rejection.
One user wrote: “Fifty thousand dollars doesn’t help – it’s a life-changing financial risk.” Another responded: “You’re not a personal lender just because you save responsibly. That’s not how friendship works.”