Chinkee Tan Do you have relatives who are always asking to borrow money from you? Lending money is okay, if the borrower knows how to pay it back. But if they don’t then we oftentimes end up on the losing end, being the bad guy, if we remind them of their debt. This can also lead to more stress just thinking how you will say NO to them the next time they borrow money from you. You have probably reached the point of not wanting to lend money to people. You are already at the verge of telling them so. Then, what’s stopping you? It is probably the need to reciprocate, showing “debt of gratitude” or what we know as “utang na loob”, right? Yes, your family and relatives may have had significant roles in helping you before, so now that you are the one who has a better position or situation in life, you want to show them your support. But inside, you are debating whether to help them or not. To clear your mind, let me share with you some tips to help you decide: PAYING BACK A “DEBT OF GRATITUDE” IS NOT MEANT TO LAST FOREVER As Filipinos, we have this tradition that we need to ALWAYS pay back our debt of gratitude. But it does not mean that are obligated to do so for the rest of our life. Traditions are good, but should not be abused. Paying back to show our gratitude to those who Read More …
