With friends, as with family members (other than children and parents), care giving is not an inborn dharmic duty, which makes it extremely difficult to give money to friends in an appropriate way. I’m not saying that it can’t be done, just that it is extremely difficult.
If you offer something as treasured to you as your money to a needy friend to, say, pay her bills, you have not really done anything to make yourself, or her, more powerful. In fact, you may have created a problem for yourself—because from now on, whenever you see that person, whether you want to or not, many of you will remember the “gift,” and so will your friend. You will remember it in particular if you fall on some harder times somewhere down the road, especially if your friend is doing much better.
Money can forever alter the love in a friendship, so I do not recommend giving your monthly gift to friends.
Tags: Money