As tempting as it may be to lie (even when it's those seemingly innocuous white ones), it is always best to refrain from doing so. As soon as someone catches you in a lie, or vice-versa, it raises red flags, let alone a bunch of questions. However serious the lie, the act constitutes a breach of trust.  You begin to ask yourself things like: Why couldn't the person just be sincere? Is he or she a chronic liar? What happens if more serious lies are on the horizon (e.g. cheating, stealing money, etc.) It's better to be forthright with someone than lie and later see it blow up in your face. For example, let's say you accidentally bump into your wife's parked car while you're pulling out of the driveway. Your wife comes back from a business trip and notices a huge dent on her bumper. (Assume it left no visible damage on your car.)  You could be dishonest and say you have no clue as to how it happened. But once your wife puts 2 and 2 together, she ...