💲 Money Always Has Its Price Until We Learn That Money Is Not Everything

Exactly! Money always has its price until we learn that money is not everything. I don't know why but people rarely think about money as something that also has its price. Unfortunately and not so rarely very high price. Yes, money costs! A lot!

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We are paying that cost of the money with all sorts of things most often we are not even aware of it. We are paying it with our time in general. For the money we are spending our youth, our time we would otherwise spend with the loving ones, our energy, and efforts. Sometimes we are even paying it with our health.

I'm sick of it! And as I'm getting older I'm sick of it every day more! Yesterday I decided to draw a line or at least one of those lines that should be drawn in that sense.

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There was that woman who was our customer, using our services for about two years by now. First few times at the very beginning everything was fine. But, then it started.

At the beginning, it was a small complaint here and there. Although those complaints could be better described as a nagging of a bored person, we took it seriously to improve our service and by taking even better attention to some details.

After that, as there were nothing to complain about, she started with extra demands at first for the same price and afterward even requesting discounted rates referring to being a regular customer. As in the industry, we are working in, regulars are not some common thing, we fulfilled her requests in that sense as well.

We thought she would be delighted with the outcome. Wrong! Although at first, she pretended to be satisfied she also started to play with us silently some sort of the hide and seek game by doing some more or less small but mean things. In that sense, I chose to play the role of a stupid blond who doesn't see and doesn't realize that.

So, let's say, following month, or at most two were peaceful. But then she came again with extra demands. In the endeavor to fulfill them, we would need to reschedule the other two customers. Thanks to their understandings we managed to do that as well, just to make her happy again. But, was she? Unfortunately not!

We have an expression here that says for such kind of people if you give (grant) them a small finger they would take your whole arm. I couldn't get rid of the feeling that's what was going on exactly. Her rescheduling requests become regular, but of course, every time differently.

Several times it caused us the right amount of extra trouble and frustration. Those several times from the start, in past year turned to be a common thing as her regular rescheduling requests always arriving at last minute more and more often overlapped with the schedule of other customers.

It became unbearable when those overlaps would put us in the position to cut out, from other clients, a particular portion of the service (no matter how small) they paid for actually. It was mission impossible no matter how much effort we put in or how much nerves we lost on the way trying to make it possible. Simply, it doesn't work that way. She was angry like hell.

Although she was already acting like she is providing the service to us and not the other way around, now she even put on the table some sort of the blackmail, although very well packed. It turns out, from her perspective, we depend on her solely. Even if it's true, there are some limits.

Despite all of that, we chose the role of the stupid blond again, pretending not seeing, realizing and understanding her well-packed blackmail, and trying to discuss the issue with her by finding the solution that would be satisfying for both sides. I even felt sorry for her realizing that the problem lies in her, accumulated from who knows when and how collected frustrations and caused by who knows which collection of complexes.

At some points, it seemed like she understands the impossible position she is putting us into with her extended demands, while at the very next moment she would still stick to "Her way or no way." On the other hand, we knew the kind of service she is receiving from us she wouldn't be able to get anywhere else, especially having in mind all her requests as well as all the extra benefits we gave her. Despite that, we didn't want to mention that even less emphasis it. We believed she must be aware of that. But, was she?

Last two times in the past month things became even worse. She was driving us crazy literally, in all sorts of ways she could think of probably. The whole thing escalated yesterday when she showed up unannounced. I was shocked! She jumped in into the middle of somebody else's term without any question asked.

But that was not all. She was angry, throwing on us all sorts of totally ungrounded complaints and pressuring us with her demands. When I asked her how come she came so sudden and out of schedule, she just replied that she changed her mind like it's something unquestionable and normal. OMG! I was really pissed. I still don't know how I managed to remain calm.

OK! She is our customer for over two years that brings us a monthly income of about $400 on a regular basis. But hey! Come on! Then my husband came, and when we were alone, he just raised the following question. "Who is the owner of the business here?"

I'm always thinking about my husband as the more patient and the more understanding one. But it was the drop that spilled the cup. We sat down to talk briefly. The main question was, do those $400 a month is worth all the frustration and bad energy she would bring every time she comes, including the bad taste that would last even for a few days after accompanied with the completely ungrounded guilt she would shower us with abundantly? We agreed it's NOT!

Therefore, when I afterward talked with her, I told her:
- It's not going to work that way anymore. We are going to let you keep all the benefits and privileges you enjoyed so far, but regarding schedule, you would have to respect the rules of our business and industry we are working in.
- Then I'll have to find somebody else! - she said in a blink of an eye.
- Be my guest. - I replied.

She didn't see this coming. She was shocked. But I draw the line!

And you know what? I feel good! And not only that, I feel relieved. We should have done that long ago. Furthermore, I don't care what's going to be next or what she is going to do. I don't care anymore! Case closed!

Besides, I have this beautiful and funny GIF that @rituparnaghosh surprised me with by creating it for me, so who really cares!?! 😜🤑😅😎

^GIF

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Posted on Thursday, September 28, 2017

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_{Images sources:
Image 01 - Image from Pixabay. Credits to geralt for cost dollar, used under the CC0 Creative Commons license.
Image 02, 03, 04 and 05 - Image from Pixabay. Credits to 3dman_eu for dollar-currency-capitalism, dollar-currency-capitalism-exploit, kneeling for money, and Exploitation, all used under the CC0 Creative Commons license.
Divider - own work.
Ana-Maria Dollar GIF - created and donated by @rituparnaghosh.}