Neither a borrower or a lender be?

[TerryinMD]

/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif.... this is an interesting post.

There are pros and cons about borrowing and lending. As mentioned, there are exceptions. I guess the exception is that you have to have a mutual trust with the borrower/lender. I have a couple friends in my neighborhood that I can pretty much trust and am willing to let them borrow "most" of my stuff. There are some exceptions. I will not let them use my tractor. Period. It is too darn expensive and I would feel bad if something happened to them or to it. I'd rather have the thing break with me on it. Then it's my fault - not theirs do to any reason.

I know for myself that I would rather own all of the tools I use. If I notice, borrowing a socket, hand wrentch, or something occassionally is one thing. We all do that from time to time. If it is something that is needed for repairs when a piece of equipment is down, I then go a buy it. The CFO has finally begun to understand the reasoning. You need it because you need it. Plain and simple.

Now here is another approach to this situation. Another neighbor likes to do some "cost sharing" with equipment. He has approached me a couple of times to "buy in" on pressure washer, a trailer, etc. He's very approachable about sharing and lending things - which is a good thing. However, having community property can lead to other problems. Who owns it? Who pays for the insurance? Who does what......???? I've stayed away from the buy-ins!! /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif This may work... but I have my reservations.

Terry

 

[IndianaPaul]

My thoughts/experiences are similar to most on here. As a rule, don't make a habit out of loaning out tools/equipment, etc. However, have 2 guys that are welcome to use most anything I have as they know it needs to come back at the least in the condition it left. At same time, have relatives that think nothing of calling me and asking me to rent a trailer, drive the 70 miles to their home and then either do the tractor work they need done, or to leave my tractor/implement there for them to use it. Any guess what my answer was? Don't get me wrong, as I jump at the chance to help neighbors within 5-6 miles of me...I wouldn't and don't hesitate to help out or do work for (seniors or can't get by financially) them.

Sad thing is, it doesn't apply just to equipment/tools anymore. Had a good friend/hunting buddy from before I moved to the country. Told him that during the season, he could park his small trailer in my pasture & save the cost of state park 15 miles away (provided trailer went home on last weekend of season). 2nd year he suggested I should run and underground electrical connection to the spot he parks in 2 weeks a year (475' run of wire) and 'could I also run a water hose at same time?' ("just cold water is fine"). I thought he was kidding. 3rd year he brought the suggestions up again and asked for a key to house so they could use the showers on the days we weren't home PLUS asked me if I had ever thought about a small storage shed at campsite.....he could sleep there instead of having to pull the trailer the 120 miles from the city to here.

Needless to say, I now have a new hunting buddy.

Paul

 

[ICGREEN]

Hey Randy,
My list is about the same but I also include my wife. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[frank_f15]

there are very few people i will lend my tractor to, actually only one, he was always good enough to help me with projects that require an extra set of hands, and he insisted i use his tractor when i had an old one. i know how he takes care of his equiptment, so i have no qualms about him using anything. if something were to break while he had it, i would be because it was ready to break, not abuse! then there is i guy down the road i would not lend a shovel to, seen him slide a cat that he had borrowed into a pond, completly submerged it. that was quite an expereince to watch them get that baby out.

 

[Solo]

I have seen this sign sign in a lot of mechanics tool box's " The man who owns the tools is not here, so don't ask to borrow them." Good policy. If you need it buy it or rent it. This has worked for me for a long time and everyone respects that.

Solo

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I agree with 90% of what everyone is saying but I do have something else to say. While it is true that I do not like to loan out equipment I have really begun to appreciate loaning out labor. What I mean is today I was working on a CV joint on a car that was giving me a fit because I could not remove a circlip and pull out the shaft at the same time. So I go to my neighbors. He was glad to see me and I was glad to have the extra help. We worked on the shaft for about five minutes and visited for an hour and a half. Did I have to go over and get his help? No. But I really enjoyed having him help me at a time when I was starting to get really frustrated. I went over there as much to get some help as I did to get a break. So while I agree with what everybody says about loaning out expensive equipment, don't forget to loan out labor and then get some in return when you need some serious stress relief.

 

[bgott]

I have found that being polite about it makes the people that you really don't want to lend stuff to think they can talk you into it. The sign on my roll-a-way stated " NO TOOLS LOANED" and had one of those little hairy balls with arms and legs prominently displaying his middle finger. I had people laugh at the sign and still ask to borrow tools. Most people around here that borrow stuff operate on the three day rule. If you haven't come to get it back in three days they think it's theirs. If a relative steals it while in their possession or they lend it to a friend and it disappears they think that resolves them from responsibility to replace it. I have learned that the people that are worth loaning stuff to never ask.

 

[Richard]

My tendencies with loaning things (this especially applies to money) is, I don't loan that which I'm not prepared to give away.

I recently "loaned" some $$ to family member and because of the difficult circumstances they are in..know I'll never see it back. So, emotionally, it's gone. If I DO ever see it back, wonderful for THEM because means they're back on feet...but since I loaned it PRESUMING it to be gone...I'll never feel resentful becuase actually, I viewed it as a gift, masked as a loan.

 

[billfires]

My father is the only person who could borrow the tractor. I have let a few people operate it under my direct supervision. A week ago I bent the bucket cylinder on the BH while working at my sister's house. If I had lent it out and that had happened I don't think $500 for a new cylinder would have been forthcoming. I break it, I pay for it.

Bill C

 

[Rockyroad]

Lent a chainsaw to a "friend" for "a couple of hours" some years ago. Two months later, I had to go to his house to pick it up myself. He had tried to cut a hole in a floor and had hit nails, etc. The blade was bent and the chain was wrecked. I had to spend about $50 to buy new blade and chain. Never offered to pay for it.

Around the same time we had this big ice storm in Rhode Island that knocked out our power for several days. I have a generator and one of my neighbors was desperate to borrow it for "a couple of hours." Six hours later, I had to go get it back and the guy had an attitude and said he wasn't done with it yet!

Nobody gets my tools or equipment since then.

I have some people in the neighborhood who I till their gardens for. I don't charge, I just do it. They are down on their luck or disabled or old. Usually they return the favor later in some way. But NOBODY is going to borrow my tractor with tiller and FEL or drive it. (Only two other people have ever DRIVEN my tractor - my father and son.) It cost me too much and I cannot afford to replace it if it is wrecked or seriously damaged. Would rather go do the job myself for free than lend my stuff. Much cheaper in the long run and easier on my nerves.