That time a client paid me in boiled peanuts and a handshake

I do small design jobs for folks around Savannah and last spring I finished a logo for a guy who runs a food truck. He kept saying the check was in the mail for like 3 weeks so I finally drove over to his spot on River Street to talk. He was frying up boiled peanuts and looked real busy so I just waited while he served a line of tourists. Finally he comes out with a Ziploc bag full of warm peanuts and a crumpled envelope with half the cash I was owed. Turns out he stuffed $40 in ones and fives in there and honestly the peanuts were so good I couldn't even be mad. I ate them on the drive home and called it a win but I still have to go back next week for the other $60. Has anyone else gotten paid in something random like food or favors instead of real money?

3 comments

3 Comments

knight.uma1d ago

@max_schmidt77 this whole economy runs on favors and promises more than cash these days.

max_schmidt771d ago

Man that "crumpled envelope with half the cash" part got me, I've been there with clients who are great people but terrible at paying up. At least the peanuts were warm and fresh though, half cash and half food is better than no cash at all. Hope the other half shows up next week without you having to chase him down again.

gracej991d ago

Yeah, have you ever tried setting up a text reminder the day before? I started doing that with my tenants for rent and it cut the "oh I forgot" excuses by about half. The food thing is a nice touch though, shows he's thinking of you even if his wallet isn't cooperating. I'd take that envelope and hold onto it as a paper trail, just in case you need to jog his memory about the balance later. Peanuts sound way better than the half-empty gas station coffee I got once as a partial payment.