You are in a small group Bible study (or any other kind of study) with 5 other couples. They aren't your best friends but you meet together once a week and over time you have prayed together, shared together and have become more accountable to one another.

One week one of the couples shows up so excited about a new franchise they are buying the next week. They 'only' have to borrow $75,000 against their mortgage + they have to purchase a company car - a brand new Neon green Volkswagen beetle, for an additional $32,000. The franchise is for a computer repair company "Geeks R Us". Neither one of the couple have much computer experience but they assure everyone in the group that there are really good training manuals so they know how to fix computers. Red flags are going off everywhere. Do you say anything? Burst their bubble? Crush their dreams? Or do you stay quiet knowing that that there is very little chance this business will succeed and you are pretty sure they are being taken advantage of.

What would you do?

__________________

I would just make sure i say a bunch of prayers for them.

Seriously, they probably already have their mind made up to do this, and if you say anything negative, they are going to think you are jealous!

It would be REALLY hard for me to bite my tongue. Unfortunately, it would be hard for them not to perceive it as being meddlesome. I think it would depend on how well I knew the couple. If I knew them well enough, I would approach it as, "I'm just really concerned that you may be getting in over your head and/or being taken advantage of..." I would also try to encourage them to do more research on the company before comitting to anything and even offering to help them investigate the company independently of any "literature" the company itself provided. Also, I'd ask if they had a business plan or had done any marketing research.

Trouble is, people are usually only willing to see what they want to see. If they're really excited about it there probably isn't much you can do to help.

I can't wait to hear what actually happened!

__________________
Read my Mommysavers Blog: Forget the Joneses
Check out the Mommysavers Group on Facebook

Download my free eBook full of savings ideas for the holidays Click Here

I couldn't not say anything...I would try to go about it from a question asking perspective, like an inquiring mind...asking questions and trying not to give an opinion, just asking questions, what if's...that would be tough...one hand, sometimes a risk is worth it, other hand...soem risks are definately not worth it! Good luck!

I wouldn't say anything to them unless they asked for your opinion.

I'd have to say something, I'm a pretty blunt person so I know there is no way I'd be able to keep my reactions in!

I DO NOT have a poker face. Sadly, they would know I thought poorly of the idea without even asking. I've come to the realization that my opinion isn't welcomed unless someone asks for it. Even when someone asks for my opinion, the odds are low that it will be appreciated.

Conclusion: I don't say anything unless asked.

__________________
"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

If we really had become more accountable to each other, then yes, I might say something in as gentle a way as I could. I do think that sometimes, if we hear something from several sources, it can help us re-evaluate a decision we've made.

I have to agree with Cookie2. I have learned not to offer advice unless I am asked. They would know with my body language that I didn't think it was a good idea.