12-001 · EVIDENCE B · SOURCE-SENSITIVE
Only invest money you can afford to lose — never use family savings or borrowed funds
只拿亏得起的钱创业，不动家底、不借钱开张
Zero upfront cost. Before you start, set a personal limit: this is the maximum amount you can lose without affecting your mortgage payments, child support, or medical expenses. Do not invest any more than this figure. Family funds and borrowed money must be excluded from this limit. The real challenge arises when your business starts showing promise — you must resist the urge to pour in extra capital.
Any debts incurred by a sole proprietorship must be repaid using your personal assets and funds. If it’s unclear whether the business was run by the whole family, all family assets become liable. Even forming a corporation does not offer protection: when a company defaults on its debts, creditors may demand immediate payment of any portion of the subscribed registered capital that was promised but not yet paid. Therefore, your investment cap must be determined based on the principle: “I can afford to lose this amount without affecting my mortgage or medical bills.”
B
Move “Only invest money you can afford to lose — never use family savings or borrowed funds” to Future Me's calendar
The excuse
Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.
What feels good now
Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.
What the source says
The source summarizes the return this way: “Any debts incurred by a sole proprietorship must be repaid using your personal assets and funds. If it’s unclear whether the business was run by the whole family, all family assets become liable. Even forming a corporation does not offer protection: when a company defaults on its debts, creditors may demand immediate payment of any portion of the subscribed registered capital that was promised but not yet paid. Therefore, your investment cap must be determined based on the principle: “I can afford to lose this amount without affecting my mortgage or medical bills.”” Evidence grade B. The original states the population, caveats, and sources; this is not a personal forecast.
Use the original facts and limits. For an urgent medical, safety, financial, or legal issue, contact a qualified local professional or service.
THE ENGLISH EDITION
Original recommendation and evidence
1. Only invest money you can afford to lose — never use family savings or borrowed funds
Cost: Zero upfront cost. Before you start, set a personal limit: this is the maximum amount you can lose without affecting your mortgage payments, child support, or medical expenses. Do not invest any more than this figure. Family funds and borrowed money must be excluded from this limit. The real challenge arises when your business starts showing promise — you must resist the urge to pour in extra capital.
In plain terms: Any debts incurred by a sole proprietorship must be repaid using your personal assets and funds. If it’s unclear whether the business was run by the whole family, all family assets become liable. Even forming a corporation does not offer protection: when a company defaults on its debts, creditors may demand immediate payment of any portion of the subscribed registered capital that was promised but not yet paid. Therefore, your investment cap must be determined based on the principle: “I can afford to lose this amount without affecting my mortgage or medical bills.”
Benefit: Losing money is not the only risk. For sole proprietorships, debts are tied to personal assets if the business is run by one individual; if ownership is shared or unclear, the entire family’s assets become liable. Jointly signed debts between spouses are considered mutual obligations; even debts acknowledged later by one spouse are included. If a spouse took out a loan in their own name, it still counts as a joint debt if the creditor proves it was used for the couple’s shared business. Corporations face similar rules: when a company cannot meet its debt obligations, creditors may demand immediate payment of any unpaid portion of the subscribed registered capital promised by shareholders (nationwide).
Evidence grade: B
Sources: National People's Congress (2020). Civil Code (Articles 56, 1064). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202006/t20200602_463888.shtml>; National People's Congress Standing Committee (2023). Company Law (revised in 2023, Articles 47, 54). <https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202312/content_6923395.htm>
Notes: “Money you can afford to lose” means an amount that won’t force you to sell your home or borrow from relatives. No verifiable official statistics on business survival rates or average lifespan were found on the websites of China’s National Bureau of Statistics or State Administration for Market Regulation. Hence, no numerical figures are included here; only legal consequences are outlined, warranting a grade B rating.
Read the complete Chinese source and notes
1. 只拿亏得起的钱创业，不动家底、不借钱开张
成本: 不花钱。动手前先给自己定一个数：这笔钱全亏光，也不影响你还房贷、养孩子、看病。超过这个数就不投。家里人的钱和借来的钱，不算在这个数里。难的是生意看着有起色的时候，忍住不再往里追加。
说人话: 个体户欠的钱，要拿你自己名下的钱和东西还。分不清是不是全家一起做的，就拿全家的财产还。开公司也不保险：公司还不上债的时候，你当初答应出、还没到期的那笔出资，会被要求提前掏出来。所以投多少，按「全亏光也照样还房贷、看病」来定。
收益: 亏了不只是钱没了。个体工商户欠的债，如果生意是你一个人做的，要拿你自己名下的钱和东西还（以个人财产承担）。如果是全家一起做的，或者分不清是谁做的，要拿全家的钱和东西还（以家庭财产承担）。夫妻两人都签了字的债，算两个人一起还的共同债务。一方事后点了头的，也算。一方用自己名义借的钱，只要债主能证明这笔钱用在了两口子一起做的生意上，照样两个人一起还。公司这边也有一条：公司还不上到期的债时，股东当初在注册资本里答应出、还没到缴纳期限的那笔钱（认缴出资），债主可以要求他提前交出来（全国）
证据等级: B
来源: 全国人大 (2020). 民法典（第五十六、一千零六十四条）. <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202006/t20200602_463888.shtml>；全国人大常委会 (2023). 公司法（2023 年修订，第四十七、五十四条）. <https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202312/content_6923395.htm>
备注: 「亏得起」的意思是：这笔钱全亏掉，你也不用卖房，不用找亲戚借钱补窟窿。有多少企业能活下来、平均活几年，这类官方统计本次在国家统计局和市场监管总局官网都没找到能核实的原文。所以正文不写数字，只写法律后果，定 B 级。
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