UNITED STATES—Money, it is the one commodity some people have loads of and others wish they could earn more of it. With Christmas fast approaching, it really got me thinking about finances, where I’m spending my money and what I’m spending it on. However, this isn’t really a question about my finances it’s about others. Nothing bugs me more than when a person asks me for money. It’s okay if you do it on occasion, but I really do not want to see it transpire every single week.

Some people might say it’s not such a big deal if you have the money to give, but the problem with that assertion is that if you’re always giving out money at some point it’s going to place you in a position, where when you want to do something you have to ask yourself rather you have the funds to do WHAT YOU WANT TO DO! I never count people’s money, unless I’m placed in a position, where they’re constantly asking me for cash, and they can’t explain to me what happened with their money. I have no problem helping people who return the favor when needed.

Here’s the problem: if I need a loan or money, there are like only two people I can seriously count on to help me out. Everyone else, they vanish into thin air. When I need help it’s hard to find it, which frustrates and angers me; when you need me I’m by your side, but when I need you it’s like a ghost town. One rule I stick behind that never wavers is: if I loan you money and you don’t pay it back, don’t expect to come to me in the future.

Fool me once shame on you, but be aware there won’t be a second time for you to fool me. Harsh, I would argue it is, but you cannot keep allowing someone to slap you in the face, and not want to slap them back at some point. If I told you how much money I’ve loaned to people that I have yet to see returned to me, you would scream. Easily, I have about $3,000 to $5,000 that I could absolutely use right now, but I’ll probably never see those funds. Does it anger me? Of course, but being angry about the situation is not going to change anything.

You have to let go of that resentment, but deliver tough love. You need money? Sorry, I cannot help you this time. Figure it out on your own. Get a job, you already have a job, get a second one, cut down on your spending, I can keep going with alternatives. No matter what you say, I’m not giving in people. Not this time. I think the thing about money that irks me most is when someone acts like a leech or a moocher. You have money, but you don’t want to spend it, leaving me to spend my last while you are loaded with funds in your wallet.

That really ticks me off, and shows a lot about a person’s character. The one thing I can say is that me, my sister, my dad and mom have a great relationship when it comes to money. If I’m low on funds these are the people who I can count on, and when they are low on funds they know they can count on me. That is how money works it should be a give and take relationship, not a take, take and continuing to take relationship. Money should never be a battle, but when you’re dealing with family it’s always a battle one that is sometimes impossible to win at.

Written By Kelsey Thomas