How far is too far?

A friend recently asked me for a favor. Initially, it wasn’t a huge thing (though it was a big deal in my opinion), but has quickly grown into a major favor. As I’m trying to get out from under this obligation, it’s caused me to wonder, just how far is too far in friendship?

I’ll be the first to admit that I take advantage of certain friends. Being single, sometimes I have no choice other than to ask for help. When I go out of town, I’ll ask one or the other to pick up my mail, check on my dog, water my plants, or any one of a number of small “chores”. Usually the person I ask says it’s not a problem, but we both know it is. Stopping by every day or two, especially when it’s out of their way, is a big deal. However, I try to keep my requests small, or to lessen the obligation on my friend. For example, I was out of town for a week last summer. Before I left, I asked the parents of my lawn boys if they could pick up my mail when they came to mail. That way, they’re already there doing something else & it’s not a special trip just to pick up my junk mail.

While I’ll freely admit that I do ask for help on a frequent basis, I try to ask different people each time, so I’m not always relying on the same person. Doing a favor every once in a while is one thing; doing it every week/month/couple of months, that’s entirely different. Also, everyone I ask also knows that I’d willingly help them should the need arise. When you have to ask for help, you become more conscious that it’s your responsibility to help others whenever possible.

All this brings me back to my original question: how far is too far? There’s a line between asking a favor and taking advantage. Depending on the friendship, that line can be in different spots. How, then, do know you’ve gone from “little favor” to “huge imposition”?