Pondering

Let’s say I have $20 in each of four pants pockets – Left Hip, light bill; Right Hip, water bill; Left Front, gas bill; Right Front, groceries.

Now, I’ve got my eye on a double-CD set of William Shatner’s Greatest Love Songs for the BARGAIN price of $20, but I can’t get it because all my money is already allocated.

Along comes my BFF and yours, Barry Gubmunt.  “Here…” he says.  “Here’s $20 for you, just one thing…you’re not allowed to spend it on Shatner!”

So I think about this a minute…and here’s what I’m going to do.  I’m going to take that cash from BG, and put $5 in each of my pants pockets, and at the same time, I’m going to take $5 from each of those pockets and put it in my Shirt pocket (“mad money” fund). 

Smiling, I walk down to the RecordPalooza and pick up my new treasure.

So…did Barry help me buy that CD, or not??? 

Of course, right?

OK, now let’s say I’m an insurance company, and I have customers who want me to cover their elective abortions.  The Government comes along and hands me $50,000,000 and says “Here…here’s $50-mill for you, just one thing…….”

I bet that’s completely different though, isn’t it.