Vent: I put $2,300 into a "sure thing" friend's food truck and got paid back in free tacos
Two summers back my buddy Marcus swore his food truck idea was going to print money, so I handed over $2,300 from my savings to help him get a second truck running. The deal was simple in my head: he pays me back in 6 months with a little extra. Well, 6 months came and went, and instead of cash I got a text saying he'd "pay me in tacos" at $12 a plate until the $2,300 was square, which is 191 tacos if you're counting at home. Some people in my group chat say I'm dumb for not getting it in writing, and they're right, but my cousin swears handshake deals with friends are the only way to keep trust alive. So here's my real question for this community: do you think lending money to friends is always a dumb money move no matter what, or is it fine as long as you're ready to lose it? Because I still can't decide if Marcus did me dirty or if I did it to myself.
That line about him clearing a few bucks off you each visit is the whole scam in a nutshell, because every taco you eat just resets the clock on money he already spent. Dude's basically got a free loan and a guaranteed customer at the same time, which is honestly kind of genius if it wasn't your $2,300.
191 tacos is actually a decent rate if the tacos are good, but here is the part nobody is saying. Marcus turned a cash debt into a food debt, which means he still gets your money every time you show up. He sells you a $12 plate, hands it over free, and counts it against what he owes. His cost on that plate is maybe $3.50 in meat, tortillas, and gas. So he clears a few bucks of value off you each visit while your $2,300 sits in his pocket the whole time. You are basically his investor and his best customer now.