Friend has asked to borrow money but I’m not sure

Nope, it's a bad idea. They probably won't be able to pay back as careless with money. It's yours and and for your security. If they have a problem with you saying no then that's on them.

Don’t do it!!! I had a friend ask to borrow 2k for an emergency. I just said no sorry don’t have the money (I did). She then went on to borrow it off another friend and never paid her back!

Even if she knows you have the money, just say no sorry I don’t have it or say it’s already been spent.

If she can’t afford the MOT then tough tits. Same happened to me last year and I got the car scrapped. Wouldn’t dream of asking to borrow money to fix it!

Four pages of mumsnetters can't be wrong op.

Wearing my experience of life and people hat …

it’s a total NO!

Do not lend these cheeky people the money. Just don’t.

You don't have to go into explanations - her partner inherited, they did not save, it is none of your business. Your business is to say 'no'. End of. No.

I am saying this as a person whose dh lost 30K on being 'kind to family and friends', because he is a moron. YOU don't be a moron.

A close friend i might help out with a tenner then again I would just buy the milk etc and take it to them.
But when anyone asks for anything that ends with ks at the end can piss right off.

These people aren't your friends, OP. You sound sorted and sensible and responsible, not chaotic lazy fools like these.

You say 'Buying this place has wiped me out. What happened to the £22k you had last year?' Phase them out of your life while you find your tribe of sorted, responsible friends who won't try to exploit you. Good luck.

Can you say "no, sorry, actually I was thinking about asking you if you had £500 you could lend me for repairs needed on my house, so I guess neither of us are in a position to lend money! "

They blew 22k and didn't keep any back for emergencies?! You'll probably never see that money again if you lend it to them. Unless you are happy to kiss goodbye to nearly half of your own hard-earned savings and security just to keep the peace, it should be a hard no.

Terrible thing to ask you when you only have 5k in savings. And you'll never see it again. Say no and refuse to discuss it any more.

The simple answer is 'no'. They have taken the piss even asking you.
You aren't in a financial position to lose the money, which is what will happen if you give it to them. Even a small claims court would question why you gave money to someone you know cannot repay. There is no need to be awkward, though; you just reply, 'No, I am not in a position to help; everything has gone up in costs.' If this work has followed on from an MOT, then they booked the car in advance, so they knew this was coming up why they have not factored this into their savings is bizarre! I suspect they knew it would fail and hoped they would guilt people into helping them out once they got the news from the garage. Rushing people into making a decision from the heart and not the head.

They had £22k and they chose to spent it all rather than work, if they have a problem it's their own fault. Keep your money Op, if you have an emergency you'll need it

No! You’d be raving mad to say yes.

No. You shouldn't even be thinking about it.
Needing £2k is not an issue for your friends to sort out or be in any way responsible for.

You're having to make a choice between having an awkward conversation and more than likely losing the £2K.

I know what i would choose!

Don’t do it!! They’re being unreasonable to ask you and based on the way you’ve said they handle money, you’ll never get it back.

But it’s really very simple to say no. If you feel awkward about it, say you don’t have the money. If they dare to question why, just say you’ve had to spend it on things that needed doing in your house or something, but you’re really not obliged to give an explanation- “trust me when I say I don’t have the money to give you” is enough, followed by “please don’t try and interrogate me about my finances, you have no right to know” if they push the issue.

Exactly op wouldn't be on their radar to pay back.
They'd be her best pals up until they get the money and then they'd avoid her like the plague.it would be excuse after excuse how they can't manage to pay this month etc.
MN is littered with threads where CF don't pay back borrowed money.
Just a flat no op you don't have to explain yourself to these moochers.

I don’t have a partner or any family to support me financially if something goes wrong.

Just noticed this - absolute hard no giving/lending them the money.

Tell them you need to live off your savings, just as they did. If you can't afford to lose money, never lend it.

£2k is a massive percentage of your total savings, don’t do it. They’re dumbasses for not working or saving any of their £22k. £22k is not enough for that sort of change. Look after yourself op!

Do they know you have savings? I don't think I would be lending it.

I would just keep the number twenty two THOUSAND pounds in my head when communicating with these people.

It was their choice to throw £22,000 away, now they can sort out the consequences of their choice. It's no one else's problem.

just been in a simiar circ when a neighbour has asked me to contribute to replacing a shared facility. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it but its looking slightly worn. I just told her "very sorry I can't afford it"

No.

No. No. No.

And no is a full sentence.

They lived off their savings and now they want yours. No way! I wouldn't even bother with a white lie to save their feelings. They're not real friends.