People are generous by nature, but lending things out doesn’t always end the way they hoped. More often than not, things are returned broken or worn out or never returned at all. After talking to a few people, it’s clear there are certain things they really regret loaning out. So here are ten things people regret ever loaning out.
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Electronics chargers
Someone asks to borrow a phone charger, “for just a minute.” Somehow, that charger becomes their charger. The original owner ends up having to buy a replacement charger, while the old one lives permanently plugged into another socket.
Books
They lend a friend their favorite book or novel, thinking they will adore it just as much as they do. Instead, the poor thing disappears onto someone else’s bookshelf or worse, gets returned with its corners bent and pages stained with coffee. That is why most book lovers refuse to lend out their copies.
Clothes
Their jacket, hoodie, or favorite shirt leaves the closet for just one night, but it never returns. And if it does, it will be stretched out, faded, or have shrunk in the wash. Clothes are just not built to survive a lending, apparently.
Tools
A hammer, a drill, or some other tool is borrowed by the neighbor, who promises to return it ASAP. It disappears for weeks. The lender looks everywhere, but it’s impossible to find, and the borrower can’t even recall where they put it.
Kitchenware
Borrowed casserole dishes, mixing bowls, or Tupperware tend to vanish into other people’s kitchens. They leave for a potluck and never make it home. Most people are now used to buying cheap containers just for lending purposes.
DVDs and video games
Back when physical copies ruled, these were loaned out all the time. The problem? They either got scratched, lost, or never returned. Most people ended up replacing something they originally bought for themselves.
Jewelry
Even small and cheap pieces hold sentimental value, and once they’re gone, they will not be coming back. Rings or necklaces become “lost” or “forgotten” way too often. The heartbreak isn’t the cost; it’s the memory attached to it.
Money
While this is not really an object, it still belongs on the list. Loans between friends or family have a way of disappearing into silence, leaving awkward tension behind. People quickly learn that money lent is often money gone.
Musical instruments
Friends and family might borrow guitars, keyboards, or even that old flute from high school, usually with good intentions. But they come back scratched, out of tune, or not at all. It hurts extra because instruments usually carry both cost and sentimental weight.
Furniture
From chairs to a spare couch, lending furniture sounds harmless until they see what condition it returns in. Spills, scratches, or even a “sorry, I moved and couldn’t bring it back.” Once it’s out of the house, odds are high the owner will never use it again.
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