It has become increasingly common for friends and not-so-close "friends" to come and ask me to borrow money. I don't usually ask for the purpose, but some ask me because of betting at online houses.
It is a bad idea to lend people money without knowing the reasons/purposes. Even they are close people, we must ensure that they money will be used for useful things. If they borrow money for useless things, it is better to refuse them. They will be lazy to work and think too easy to get money from you in that way. Moreover, if they use the money for betting, you need to be more careful because you may be difficult to get back your money.
The last time I lent money to a colleague, who I hadn't had much contact with other than at work for a short period, it was with great difficulty that I got the money back.
This must be an important lesson for you. People may not keep their promises. This is very often happening.
In some cases, people can try to forget the loan or to keep delaying repay the loan many times. I've experienced this several times, just don't easily give people loan money. If it is not very urgent, rather than giving a loan it is better to give them small money to help them a bit.
Do you usually lend money to relatives, friends, etc.? Have you ever felt bad about it, done it unwillingly?
I become rarely to give a loan to anybody now. I've got few bad stories about loaning money. Even they are our close people, it is better to limit the money to lend with them. I ever give a loan to my uncle, but it ends up with a bad story. When I try to ask the money back, he always gives a reason to delay the repayment. Now, I have a bad relationship with him and I still can't get my money fully until now.
And when they are female friends, do you lend them?
It doesn't matter that they are female or male friends, I have the same rules in giving people loan money. I won't give them loan money if it is not an urgent matter, specifically if it is not for useful things. For gambling, I probably will refuse it in a humble way. In my own view, when you want to gamble, you must ensure that you have enough money in your pocket. If you take a loan, it means you have no enough money.