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andreaintx

Legit gripe or am I just being hormonal

andreaintx
15 years ago

Need some opinions here. I'm pregnant so I may just be hormonal. I have some friends who started a catering business. I let them borrow a lot of my entertaining stuff in exchange for taking me to Dallas Market. So I called on Thursday, I know it was late notice, to see if they could take me. I haven't heard a thing from them and I know they aren't out of town. Next time they want to borrow some of my things should I charge a rental fee?

Comments (9)

  • carla35
    15 years ago

    I'd try calling them again and see what their excuse was for not taking you to the market. Maybe they still plan on taking you just a different time and that this weekend didn't work for them. I don't know how big of a deal this market is...is it like 5 minutes away or 5 hours, how long would you stay there, etc? Coult they have thought they were the ones that get to decide when they to go, not you?

    I'm not really all that familiar with "tit for tat" favors. If you want to lend your friends stuff, I would lend it with no strings attached. And, they should offer to take you to the market with no strings attached too.

    Now, if your stuff is a big deal and not something you would normally lend out, and it would cost them a fortune to rent otherwise, then yes, you could charge them to rent the suff. It really just depends on your relationship and the stuff. I mean, are you taking about a couple silver platters and 3 bowls, or more like an entire wedding registry? I generally don't lend stuff that I would get upset about if I don't get back or would break.

    Try to keep friendship favors and business like deals with you friends separate. In fact, I'm not sure I'd mix business with plesure. Personally, I would probably choose either to lend the stuff with no strings attached or not lend the stuff at all. If they tend to take advantage of you and you find the friendship is one sided and ongoing, maybe consider some new friends. Although, I have a feeling they were just busy and that they still plan on taking you when it's more convenient for them. Be careful about your stuff though...what is the plan if something breaks?

  • mitchdesj
    15 years ago

    If they can't take you, for whatever reason, they should be upfront enough to let you know that fact, not hide and not return your message.

  • andreaintx
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thank you. I think I'm being hormonal

  • marge727
    15 years ago

    I don't think you are being hormonal and I think you will be sorry that you lent anything out to be used in a business. That is especially true if they aren't considerate enough to return phone calls which are easier to do than polishing those candlesticks or whatever in order to return them to you. I have lovely large coffee pots, silver wine glasses, etc. and when I have loaned them I have to work at getting them back. Are people grateful? No, they are annoyed that you wanted them back even though they still wanted to use them. If you could afford to buy the stuff, they should--they need it for their business. There are cookware supply stores all over that sell to caterers and anything can be bought or rented,and it is pretty reasonable.

  • texasredhead
    15 years ago

    I guess I don't understand why people loan out expensive kitchen equipment especially to people who seem off put when you want the stuff back. What kine of people are you loaning your equipment to and why do you seem to think this is something you want to do?

    Regarding the OP for whom I answered another question, she thinks she is hormonal because she wants her stuff back and then wants trips to the market presumably to buy new stuff. The people who need to go to the market are the folks to whom she "lent" her stuff.

    Then again there's the old saw about the best way to lose a friend is to lend them money, or in this case, expensive kitchen equipment.

  • carla35
    15 years ago

    I'm confused, I see no mention of her not getting her stuff back in a timely fashion... was that on another post? That's another whole issue.

    I thought the OP was just mad that they didn't take her to the market or call her back when she called to see if they could take her to the market.

  • texasredhead
    15 years ago

    First, I was responding to Marge 727, and yes I answered another post from the OP about where she could buy kitchen equipment.

    I'm a guy with all kinds of power tools. I use them all the time. It would be like loaning my tools to some guy that wanted to set up a cabinet shop and then asking where I can buy tools.

  • andreaintx
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Seriously I think I was just being hormonal. I'm 7 months pregnant with an almost 3 yr. old who is challenging. Here is what happened. I lent out a bunch of expensive equipment including some of my grandmother's silver to some friends to cater a wedding. I DID get it back. They said for letting them borrow my stuff so they didn't have to go and rent things, they would take me to Dallas Market as payment if you will. Kind of a hey thanks for doing this for us, we'll take you to market, deal. Great, cool. I was asked to host a baby celebration on Wednesday which includes a buffet where I will be making most of the food for cost reasons because I only have $300 for it. There are some serving pieces that I still need and that is why I called them to see if they were going to Market and if so, would they mind taking me. I never heard back after calls and emails. I ended up buying a couple things online and texasredhead told me of a place to look for the other things which I appreciate a lot. (BTW texasredhead have you been to Lone Star-Rush Restaurant Supply and if so, what did you think? I mainly just need the wood squares and triangles and was going to check them and Ace out to see if they have them.) I was just frustrated because I never heard back. That is all. I hope that clears some things up. I don't think I would have gotten so upset or really cared if I didn't have a baby celebration to cater at the end of July and Market was on the week that I called them. Thank you all for your responses I've really appreciated them and would like to close this thread. texasredhead, would you respond on my other post about Rush. Thank you!!

  • texasredhead
    15 years ago

    Sorry. I thought you were haveing a problem getting your stuff back. Marge 727 is another story. Not familiar with Lone Star-Rush. Have bought a commercial electric stove and steam trays at Ace for our church.