Cash Flow

I'm not great with money. On my way to work every morning it's an absolute necessity that I stop at Honey Dew Donuts for a medium/hot/cinnamon coffee and it has to be regular. It costs $1.83. On the surface this doesn't seem like a major expense but each month that adds up to roughly $40 for coffee. In a year, I will have spent over $400 on coffee. Knowing this, I still go to Honey Dew faithfully. After all, when I was growing up my mother used to get through her eight hour days at the Nursing Home with a medium, light coffee from Dunkin Donuts coffee every single morning.

Even though $400 is a bit ridiculous to spend on coffee, my Honey Dew habit hasn't compromised my ability to pay bills or anything. I make payments towards my student loans and credit card every month. I'm even able to get wrecked at the bar once a month if the spirit moves me. Basically, Honey Dew hasn't put me in the poor house like one of my past Celtic favorites, Antoine Walker.

His financial troubles are well documented at this point. Walker made over $100 million during his NBA career and recently had to file bankruptcy because the lifestyle he was leading got to be too much. While listening to his interview on ESPN not too long ago, I was struck by a subtle aspect of his interview. He said that many of his friends and relatives are to blame for his depleted bank account. Basically, all of them asked to borrow varying sums of money from him and when he needed it back those people were no where to be found.

Bubblees treat money like it's hot. Couple that with their propensity for wanting nice things and it makes for a very combustible mix. Tomorrow is never planned for in the Bubble, so if the new Jordans are on sale for $179 today it means the phone bill won't get paid because it's due in two weeks. MetroPCS preys on this mentaility...

Recently, Thuglife's phone was disconnected. It's the third time this year his phone has been shut off, which means he'll be going on his fourth phone number soon.

Me: Didn't financial aid just give you a refund check last month? How's your phone disconnected?
Thuglife: What you mean?
Me: You got a $2400 check from financial aid. You paid $600 for rent. You repaid your aunt and uncle $1200, which left you with over $500. Where's all that money? Didn't you think to pay your phone bill?
Thuglife: How? I gotta eat.
Me: I realize that. What's your point? You had $500 last month.
Thuglife: So what you sayin?
Me: You're not even paying for utilities since none of you ever put the bills under your name. Seriously. What did you do with the money?
Thuglife: My mom don't give me her EBT card no more since her boyfriend is kinda fat so I had to buy groceries.