Telling my mom 'maybe next time' versus a hard 'no' about a $500 loan request

She asked to borrow money for a vacation last month, and I used to just say no which always led to a fight. This time I said I couldn't right now but would think about helping with a specific bill next month, and she actually accepted it. How do you soften a 'no' without leaving the door open for more asks?

2 comments

2 Comments

riley86016d agoMost Upvoted

I read that "maybe next time" works because it validates their need while protecting your wallet. The key is making the future help sound specific and small, like you did with that bill.

quinn60316d ago

Didn't @riley860 have a point about making it specific?