18-year-old occasionally borrows roommate's car, gets accused of using her when she refuses to co-own it: 'She is in no financial hardship'

The whole point of lending something to someone is that they don't have to pay for it.

In a world where it increasingly feels like almost everything has a price tag, it is nice to be able to rely on the generosity of friends and family now and then. Being able to borrow stuff is great; you can save money, reduce consumption, and even find a way to repay the favor, thus making a relationship stronger. No matter how small the gesture, all of us have benefited from borrowing something at some point.

The downside to this system is that it can easily be exploited from both sides. Some people have no problem in being shameless freeloaders, and others only lend their belongings with significant conditions attached. In short, it is not wise to trust just anybody to lend you something, or to give out what you own to somebody who you don't really know. They may end up surprising you, and not in a good way. Plenty of relationships get ruined by an innocent deal like this gone awry. The one benefit is that it can show individuals you may not want to be associated with for what they really are.