Although it has been a few days since my last post, I realized there was a new urge I have to fulfill, the need to write on my blog. I do have a few budgeting tips to share with you, however this week has been a bit crazy.

I went to visit one of my three best friends to catch up on many subjects, and love was the never ending topic... OH Love..love...love! I immediately remember my eternal love for George and how it all started. This love story impacted my life financially and I am hoping it will impact yours.. Oh George and his friends, they are very famous among the ladies and very popular with the gentlemen as well.

I come from a generation of mathematics/numbers freaks:

Great Grandfather : The Gambler

Grand Father: CPA of a big Banana Imports Corporation (South America)

Father: Math teacher, Music Instructor/ Architecture Studies/ Business Man/ Hustler

Big Brother: Math Tutor

Little Brother: Currently attending his 4th year of Civil Engineering

Myself: I budget... haha the smart one with the free mind and common sense .. jk.

My dad worried about me and the lack of math intellect. B+ and A's in Math made me the black sheep of my family.. BUT DAD!! I CAME UP WITH THE 5-52-12 equation... no???? FINE!!!.....! Anyway.

THE INVESTOR : cupid a.k.a my dad

Many years ago, I was a witty and pretty dynamic 14 years old girl, my mom sent me on a trip alone to South America (loved the independence) to spend the summer with my dad. He was working during the morning as a Math Teacher in a very large Public School, and taking care of his business at night. He was worried about my math problems along with my teenager hormones problems while I was home alone. I had planned to spend my mornings with my childhood friend, she went to school at night to work periodically as a receptionist for less than $2 a day at a local shop. WELL.......My dad decided to buy me a copy machine!!!... YES LADIES AND GENTLEMEN a copy machine how exciting!!!!

Summer in the states, is the middle of the school year back in the motherland. My dad happily stated: " My most beautiful child, you have been amazing and I am now giving you a copy machine" rigggghhhhtttt!! ...he actually said:" here is a copy machine, ink and paper, you will sell copies to all the students and teachers at the school so I can keep an eye on you, I want 20% of your profit and the rest is for you" it turned out all students and teachers paid for copies out of pocket.

THE BUSINESS : love scene

He gave me the key to a very narrow stand with a metal gate that had wide gaps with enough room to exchange any items. I knew there were going to be boys, I picked out a pretty outfit. I was excited and nervous at the same time with the motivation of making new friends and lots of money.

My first customer : a skinny short boy with broken glasses: " may I have 3 copies for this sheet and 2 for this one" SURE! I turned around, suddenly I had the whole school behind the metal gate asking for copies, I became overwhelmed OH MY!! where is my dad.. why would he say he will keep an eye on me.. I need help.. where is he??

I put myself together and shouted:" I can't hear you all at once, please make a line and I will take care of each one of you" one of the boys nicely said to me: "we only have 20 minutes and we still have to eat". Bell rings, I lost about 60% of my customers for the day. I didn't care I had so much money in my hand.

THE INVESTMENT: love at first sight

I asked my friend if she wants to work with me while I was there, she happily accepted. There will be a new girl on the block that will help me with all the customers I lost. I planned a strategy to keep us organized, I also bought 3 dozens of pens. After writing the first tally of the first business,I deducted the cost of the new investment: the pens, divided the total amount paid for each dozen by 12 and compared it to the stores... I will make a good profit for each pen!!!! My mind was on the MONEY, and the money was on my mind!!!! I put most of it away and kept some change. I was ready and looking forward to my second day.

I opened the stand and there was one boy different than all others, he made me nervous, he waited for me to set up and asked for a pen. I graciously told him I was now selling them, he bought one!!! very quietly with the only sound of the pen scribbling on that pretty piece of paper, he wrote something, he gave me back the pen, he folded the paper about 10 times and asked me not to open it until the end of the day, he then disappeared, like Michael Jackson vanished as he turned into a cat in "Remember the Time", my friend showed up minutes later.

THE EXPENSE: the deception

" You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and I wish you lived here and not in the States" I took that note home. Slept with the note in my hand, I pictured my life with the boy and our copy machine business. Business was doing great, I went to work the next day happy with a new hair do and a smile from ear to ear, my friend didn't know who the boy was and she wanted to see him. I waited all day, he never showed up. My ink is now low and I will soon need paper. When Thursday came I ran out of everything, paper, ink and pens and about 6 students with no copies. Friday was the last day, I needed to replenish all my supplies for the last day of the week, I had to pay my friend, and I wanted to make my father proud.

I asked my dad where to get my supplies, he directed me to his connections. I felt like a grown woman. The guy told me his prices, they were depressing. I negotiated the prices with a promise to come back to him. He offered cheaper items and bought a bulk for the next 2 weeks. I also decided to make the copies lighter for the ink to last longer. I had 3 people on my payroll and I didn't want to make cuts with my friend. Friday came, I made all the necessary arrangements, and started a new productive day.

THE PROFIT : forever love

I continued the pattern and got better every week, my customers were steady, I always had fun, but the boy with the poem never showed up again. By the end of the summer, I was a successful business girl, my dad was proud of me and his 20% profit kept him satisfied with my work. I learned to manage money, I had a great experience and I closed my stand! I had to say goodbye to all the friends I made, the copy machine and my dad. He had deposited must of my profit into a savings account, exchanged the rest to US Currency and gave it to me in an envelope. I packed my bags to come back to the States, my friend and dad took me to the airport, and as I said my last goodbye, she gave me another envelope :" the boy with the poem asked me to give this to you the day you leave and I promised I will do so" I opened his envelope, it said:"I will miss seeing you everyday, have a nice trip". Then, I opened the second envelope, the one my dad gave me, it was $1.00 bill it said : "I am your first earned dollar bill, I am proud of you" Ever since I always knew my dad was always watching me with pride, the poem boy with a crush, and Mr George was always there waiting for me to take him home for the rest of my life.

I now spend everyday caring for George.

LOVE is magic.

Love Story: George and I

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