Borrow Before You Buy

péngyou朋友yāoqǐng邀请wǒ我qù去lù露yíng营shí时，wǒ我chà差diǎn点yī一cì次mǎi买qí齐suǒyǒu所有zhuāngbèi装备。

When a friend invited me camping, I almost bought all the equipment at once.

gòuwù购物qīngdān清单lǐ里bùjǐn不仅yǒu有zhàngpeng帐篷，háiyǒu还有zhédié折叠zhuō桌、dēng灯hé和yī一tào套zuòfàn做饭gōngjù工具。

My shopping list included not just a tent, but also a folding table, a lamp and a cooking set.

hòulái后来，péngyou朋友jiànyì建议wǒ我xiān先jiè借tā他de的bèiyòng备用zhuāngbèi装备。

Then my friend suggested that I borrow his spare equipment first.

shíjì实际yòng用guò过yǐhòu以后，wǒ我cái才fāxiàn发现zìjǐ自己zuì最xūyào需要de的shì是fáng防cháo潮diàn垫，ér而bù不shì是piàoliang漂亮de的zhuōzi桌子。

Only after using the equipment did I realise that I most needed a ground mat, rather than a beautiful table.

yǒuxiē有些kànqilai看起来hěn很fāngbiàn方便de的dōngxi东西，dài带dào到xiànchǎng现场fǎnér反而zēngjiā增加le了shōushi收拾de的fùdān负担。

Some items that looked convenient actually made packing up more difficult at the campsite.

zhè这cì次jīnglì经历ràng让wǒ我yìshi意识dào到，xiǎngxiàng想象zhōng中de的shēnghuó生活hé和zhēnzhèng真正de的shǐyòng使用xíguàn习惯chángcháng常常bùtóng不同。

The experience made me realise that the life we imagine often differs from our actual habits.

jièyòng借用néng能ràng让rén人yǐ以jiào较dī低de的chéngběn成本liǎojiě了解xūqiú需求，yě也néng能jiǎnshǎo减少xián闲zhì置。

Borrowing lets people understand their needs at a lower cost and reduces unused possessions.

bùguò不过，jiè借dōngxi东西yě也yǒu有zérèn责任，bù不néng能bǎ把jiéshěng节省de的qián钱biànchéng变成biéren别人de的máfan麻烦。

However, borrowing comes with responsibilities: saving money should not mean creating trouble for someone else.

jiè借zhīqián之前yīnggāi应该shuōmíng说明yòngtú用途，yuēdìng约定guīhuán归还shíjiān时间，bìng并quèrèn确认sǔnhuài损坏hòu后de的chǔlǐ处理fāngshì方式。

Before borrowing, we should explain how we will use the item, agree on a return date and decide what to do if it is damaged.

guīhuán归还shí时，yě也yào要zhǔdòng主动qīnglǐ清理bìng并jiǎnchá检查wùpǐn物品。

When returning it, we should clean and inspect it without being asked.

rúguǒ如果yī一jiàn件dōngxi东西xūyào需要jīngcháng经常shǐyòng使用，gòumǎi购买réngrán仍然kěnéng可能gèng更héshì合适。

If an item is needed frequently, buying it may still be more appropriate.

xiān先jiè借yī一cì次de的jiàzhí价值，zàiyú在于bǎ把gòumǎi购买juédìng决定jiànlì建立zài在jīngyàn经验shàng上，ér而bù不zhǐ只jiànlì建立zài在qīdài期待shàng上。

The value of borrowing first lies in basing a purchasing decision on experience as well as expectation.