A long-standing advice column offers guidance to someone who lent a significant sum to a friend, urging them to reframe the transaction as a gift rather than a loan. The column emphasizes the importance of setting clear expectations early in financial relationships to avoid strain. It highlights how personal loans between friends can complicate bonds when repayment becomes uncertain. The advice suggests that treating the money as a gift may preserve the relationship while acknowledging the potential emotional weight of unpaid debts.
Dear Abby advises a reader who lent $4,200 to a friend to consider money given to loved ones as a gift rather than expecting to be paid back.
