5 Perks of Being Friendly With Your Neighbors

Peaceful living and safety. When people living in close proximity like and respect each other, their life is far more peaceful. Being on good terms with your neighbors means that they are more likely to respect your privacy. As for safety, we feel safer when surrounded by people we know, even if only on an acquaintance level. Besides, good neighbors watch out for each other and can keep an eye on your place when you're out of town.

Borrowing and sharing. Sharing some of the financial burden of buying expensive equipment such as a lawn mower or toolkit can be really great. Borrowing is similar to sharing, but it refers to emergency situations such as running out of flour or eggs in the midst of baking.

Helping each other out. When you're on friendly terms with your neighbors, you can ask them for help. Many neighbors gladly agree to babysit, look after your house while you're on vacation (walk your dog, feed your cat/fish, water your flowers, take in your mail), bring you groceries when you're sick or injured, etc. It's also a good idea to give your neighbors a spare key in case you get locked out of your house or apartment. Of course, helping out only works if it's two-sided, so you should be ready to offer assistance too.

Social circle, networking and camaraderie. Even if you don't become close friends with your neighbors, expanding your social circle never hurts. Firstly, you have someone to talk to every day, even if it's just a brief chat. Secondly, your neighborhood connections can be useful when you're in need of something, be it a skilled handyman or a new job. Thirdly, neighborhood get-togethers can be a lot of fun, especially if you have kids who are roughly the same age.

You never know who is going to become your friend. Friendship at first sight rarely happens, it is hard to tell whether the person you've just met has the potential to become a true friend. Being friendly with your neighbors means being open to the possibilities of friendship. The majority of your neighbors will most likely remain casual acquaintances, but you might foster good friendships with some of them. You never know till your try, and this is definitely worth trying.