The Agreement Seekers Blog

I understand that the word mercenary is a derogatory term.  It connotes someone who will do anything for money, at the expense of ethics.  This said, if I could soften it a bit by doing anything for money and maintain ethics (while helping others) - this is my jumping off point. I want to use the term mercenary because it speaks to peoples' sense of desperation.  My brother used to say, "I'd carry my left arm around in a bag"... for something he really wanted.  It is this kind of angst and stress that I am speaking to.  He lacked something he wanted; and used this expression to state the extremes he would go to - to have it.  It is not too difficult to find people who have this level of stress about money.  So, with your indulgence, I use the term:  Money Mercenary. So, my question really, is what people are willing to do to make a buck?  Hopefully, it is cloaked in honesty and ethics, but is there a model or rule that says you have to se...

Here is a test.  See how many of these "Dirty Dozen" you find yourself answering "yes" to: 1.  You do not go on "real" vacations... defined as planned trips, with hotel stays that you need to fly or drive to, typically with something to do that defines the trip. 2.  You buy generic and bargain brands at the grocery store and agonize over what meat to buy because everything is so expensive.  Ultimately, you eat a lot of pasta and chicken thighs and you have gotten really good at being creative with both. 3.  You bought your car because it was what you can afford, but is not really what you would prefer to drive. 4.  If you are a woman, getting a manicure, pedicure or massage is an extravagance, and this pampering induces guilt because the money could /should have been spent on other things. 5.  When you go to a restaurant, your eyes are first drawn to the prices of things, not the menu items themselves.  You order last and typically choos...