The last year at my former employer was also the last year of Trump's presidency before the deadly coronavirus killed us all. The company had one it's best years in a decade, and we all got a substantial year-end bonus - something on the order of $5000 after everything had been taken out. (The kid that took over the place from his parents whined that no one groveled before him until someone told him that everyone saw this as the raises his parents never gave anyone.) When I got that deposit in my account, I looked at it. Didn't touch it. A day later, something said to me "That's about what you have left on your car. You should pay that car off with that money. Don't just let it sit there, pay it off now." So I did. Made the final payment and got the title. The day after I made that payment, I stopped by the local "Dayum these doughnuts are good!" bakery and picked up a couple dozen. Dropped them on the table because fuck you I paid off my car and that's the only open loan I had. My boss gave me this weird look when I told him why I brought doughnuts. To give you some context, he was, is, and always will be a fucking redneck hick. He's constantly trying to keep up with the Joneses. Constantly buying vehicles. Motorcycles. Bought a ~~condo~~ timeshare. Whined about not being able to afford a pool like his neighbors. Has a giant McMansion in a high-price area that he can barely afford. If he was a woman, he'd get a boob job. Terrible with money, never has two dimes to rub together. His parents are the same way, they lost a decently profitable dairy farm because they're terrible with money. (To be fair, private dairy is a hard business because you're constantly squeezed by governmental regs and big players.) But back to the look. This was a look of total not understanding. How could you pay off your loan just...like that? He's never going to pay off anything, never will be able to pay off anything, and the look on his face was simply priceless because I could hear the gears shattering and springs coming undone. I really wanted to say something like you need to quit spending money like a nigger and just buckle down a little, but I didn't because it wouldn't go over well and it wouldn't do anything regardless. The money he got was spent on beer and food and crap, and it was gone in short order. Oh the amount of beer that was consumed... The company has since closed and I know he took a job that pays more. Apparently, new things were had when that new money came in because why save a little of it by not spending every cent you get? But the reason for the story? I was laid off 4 months after this bonus pay out. Someone was looking out for me, and I appreciate that. Thank you for coming to my Fred talk, you've been a wonderful audience. Tip your waiter.