Friends aren’t department stores.
Do you see “Macy’s” painted on your bud’s front door?

When borrowing clothes, tools, CDs, books, dishes, furniture or any other item from a pal take care of it. Treat that ball gown like it’s your great-grandmother’s wedding dress.

Always return clothing freshly washed or dry-cleaned. And if a garment gets ripped, repair it. In cases where you’ve ruined the outfit beyond repair, you should either replace it or pony up the cost of the item.

In fact, that advice applies for anything you borrow – if you lose your pal’s sweater, your dog munches his favorite CD, or you back over his sunglasses with your car, let him know what happened, how sorry you are and replace or pay for the item.

Communication is key – be honest and upfront. Never make excuses or deny responsibility. “Well that drill was old – it was bound to break soon anyway” is not an acceptable attitude.