一项最新调查显示，人们向亲友借钱的情况比使用”先买后付”贷款更为普遍，且多数借款金额低于250英镑。这项由非营利机构Fair4All Finance委托开展、由BBC独家获取的调查访问了4000多名成年人，发现尽管25%的受访者使用过”先买后付”贷款，但今年有26%的人曾向家人借钱，15%向朋友借款。
许多求助亲友的借款人此前均遭银行等传统服务机构拒贷——但部分亲友借款仍会收取利息。对于42岁的卡拉·麦克洛克林而言，向母亲借小额资金至关重要。这位三个孩子的母亲解释，借款主要用于”在发薪前维持一两周的开销”。但部分受访者表示，向至亲借款影响了人际关系。9%的家庭借款者称这削弱了亲情关系，而朋友借款中这一比例升至17%，还款预期差异是导致关系恶化主因。
更复杂的是，16%的朋友借款和8%的家庭借款会被收取利息。卡拉63岁的母亲瓦尔·卢卡斯表示，她曾借钱给其他未还款的亲戚，”不断催债的过程很艰难”。Fair4All Finance机构成立于2019年，致力于推动金融产品普惠化。该研究与民调机构益普索合作开展，覆盖英格兰、苏格兰和威尔士地区。
研究发现年轻人、有孩家庭、零工时合同及低收入群体更倾向向亲友借款。数据还显示四分之一家庭若无借贷将无力支付500英镑应急账单。但卡拉与母亲的资金流动是双向的，同住默西塞德郡的母女经常互相周转。”我们一直如此。当我需要50英镑应急时，”卡拉说，”两周后她若短缺，我不仅还钱还会多借。”
曾遭银行拒贷且连手机合约都办理困难的卡拉，很感激母亲的帮助。她曾目睹母亲典当外婆的戒指，”我泪如雨下地问她为何不找我”，并表示会持续反哺母亲，包括代付水电费。母女称金钱往来从未影响感情，也从不收利息，但目睹过他人因此反目。卡拉补充：”有些人承诺还款却食言，最终自食恶果。”
A lot of people turn to family and friends because they have been turned down by banks, credit cards or Buy Now Pay Later services.For others it could be a cheaper option to avoid overdraft fees or high-interest short-term loans.Kate Pender, the boss of Fair4All Finance, said it was important everyone has access to credit for the unexpected moments in life.”No one should have to risk their closest relationships just to cover essential costs. We urgently need to expand access to safe, affordable credit so people aren’t forced into difficult choices,” she said.Of those surveyed, 4% had turned to a loan shark, or unregistered lender within the last 12 months.That figure could be even higher, as some of those who think they are borrowing from a “friend” may actually have borrowed from a loan shark – a person who is lending to multiple people, charging high interest, and often using intimidation to get repayment.Dave Benbow head of the England Illegal Money Lending Team, known as Stop Loan Sharks, said about half of all people the organisation supports believed the loan shark was a friend at the time of borrowing.”All too often we see situations where extra charges are suddenly added, the debt spirals, and borrowers find themselves trapped,” he said.Moneyhelper, an independent website backed by the government, says it’s important to think carefully before borrowing from someone in your family or a friend. If you struggle to repay this could put pressure on you and your relationship.They suggest good forward planning and a written agreement can help whether you’re the one doing the borrowing or lending.
Be completely honest with yourself about whether you can afford to lend the money if it was never paid back.If you feel pressured, or awkward, then say no. There are safe borrowing options, like Credit Unions you could direct a loved one to.Keep a written record – an email, text or Whatsapp could be enough – saying how much your lending and when you’d like to be repaid.Offer to help in another way – perhaps pay a bill directly for someone in need.Encourage the person asking to get help from a debt organisation. Help them get on top of their finances, don’t just keep bailing people out.
【本文精选自BBC，原文链接：https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cze6822y135o】