I work with a woman who is always moaning about how she doesn’t have enough money. After knowing her for a year and a half, I’m convinced that this is not so much about her not making enough money as it is about her not knowing how to HANDLE the money she does have.
Case in point: at the job, we put on seminars, and when we have seminars, free food is provided for the attendees. Office staff may also partake of the free food. Today we had a seminar, and down the hall a table was spread with pastries, fruit, coffee, soda, juice, etc. So when I get in this morning, this particular co-worker hands me some money and asks if I would run down to the cafeteria on the other side of the building and pick her up a bagel and cream cheese.
I say, “Why are you spending money on food when today there is free food?” She says she just “feels like” having a bagel.
This is what I mean about not handling money well. As far as I’m concerned, the wise person will get themselves in the mood for the pastries and fruit that are free at the moment, and save the bagel for a day when free food is not available. Why in the world would you PAY for something, when a perfectly good FREE alternative is available?
This same woman will complain she doesn’t have money to buy groceries, yet she eats lunch at a restaurant several times a week. Baffling. But then I guess this is why the poor get poorer.
