"Small Order" Scams & Why Gen Z is Ditching Social Media for Malls

Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of Red, White, and Green, where we give financial advice for people who love America, love the US of A, and also love capitalism. Of course, here with my co-host every week, Southside Steve Rickman.

>> That's Yeah, come on. I love everything you just talked about. >> Man, we had a great show this week. Uh, I had a topic that came up that we could not avoid talking about today. I want to talk to you about >> Tiger Woods.

>> No, that would be funny. That would be fun if we wanted to do a whole episode on Vicodin and opioids and acting like you're not doing drugs, which he is. >> But Ted, there's a positive. He's not a drinker.

>> Yeah. Well, I think he was drinking, too. I think Wow. >> I I think I think they they did make him blow. >> Yeah.

>> And he had a little bit of alcohol, >> but not over the limit. But when you mix that even with legal drugs, I'm not saying they were illegal drugs, but when you got hydrocotten and and you got a little Vicodin and then maybe a Budweiser, that all is just nasty.

>> I still don't pass trucks with trailers. We'll leave it at that. So, what do you got? >> Yep. I've got cool gel eye patches for him. That will help him a lot there.

>> Cuz his eyes were rand. They were they were quite puffy, I had it to say. But, uh, we're going to talk a little bit today about something I'm going to actually call the McDonald's fee. Oh, >> and you're gonna hear about that in just a minute. And Steve, I know you're gonna love this topic. We're gonna talk about

shopping malls. They're becoming cool again. >> Dude, I love malls. You're going old school. And I had McDonald's yesterday. Don't tell my wife cuz it's >> We're going to talk about that, Steve.

Four money rules to live by. And they didn't teach you this. I think people are going to like these. And then I've got a money hack that you can make, and I mentioned this last week, by literally bouncing fuzzy big yellow tennis balls.

>> Wow. I've got tennis balls. The wife plays and we've got about 10 cans of pin >> with your fuzzy tennis balls. >> Yes. >> All right. Okay.

>> I've got pin. Ted, this is something I can do. I am ready. >> So, we got all that and more right here on uh on Red, White, and Green. Of course, every week we love to start off.

These are so much fun for Steve and I to do this talking about America's money headlines and news you can use. >> Can't even make that up. >> Man, this came up, Stephen. I got quoted in the New York Post yesterday because I commented on this. They call me now all the time.

>> Should we do something when you get quoted? I've got a cowbell out of reach. I get to clean our website team. We're going to figure out how to get it all on there.

>> Every time you get posted, that's huge so much. I forget to put it in because I wrote two articles in Fox News. I was on New York Post. That's on top of the Today Show. Call me back. There's all kinds of great stuff that's going on there. But I'm genuinely worried. And we actually were ahead of this last week on

Red, White, and Green talking about this or a couple weeks ago. this whole scarcity mentality and how websites get you to do what they want you to do online. Now remember, for years people have been bitching about ticket master, StubHub, SeatGeek that, oh, the price to see Bruno Mars is $200. By the time I

get to check out, it's $300 a seat. It's just crazy. Well, guess what? >> What? >> Fast food has gotten into the game. Okay, >> so here's what McDonald's did, and we're going to put this up on the screen because it's quite outrageous, Steve,

because not only are people fat in America, but they're definitely getting very lazy. And we know this because more people are like, I'm not driving to sit through the drive-thru fast food uh row.

I'm just going to wait and have pl things like McDonald's delivered to me. Yes. So McDonald's, in their infinite wisdom, basically telling the public that they're going to have all these value meals and it's only going to cost you $5 or $8 or whatever it may be, they have now added something on there that

if you don't spend enough money >> Mhm. >> I'm going say that again. If you don't spend enough money, they're charging you something called a small order fee.

>> What in the hell is that? >> That that's what that's what they want you to be thinking. What in the hell is a small order fee? >> That is crazy. That's like I hate it when the gratuitity is included. I'm like they need to earn their tip.

>> Yeah. Well, the way this works, Steve, at McDonald's right now, and again, you'll see this here on the red, white, and green. Maybe you haven't read this article.

>> I haven't. >> $3.50 if you don't spend enough money. >> Okay. >> Okay. Which means that your your order by the time you get two hamburglies and some uh French fries and, you know, a couple shakes and stuff like that,

before you know it, you thought two value meals were going to cost you $10. By the time you have delivery fees, by the time you have tax, by the time you have the small order fee, your $8 McDonald's order is now $22.

>> Oh my god, that's nuts. I just went through the drive-thru. I guess I spent the limit. I got a combo meal, the quarter pounder with cheese, and I got just cheese, which means I had to wait cuz I didn't want all the extra >> the L Mac Royale.

>> Yeah. Well, yeah. You know, I just like it simple and I don't I don't I don't need a salad on my burger. But I had to wait and they came out. But I didn't get an extra fig, I guess, cuz my order >> No, because you drove through. This is on delivery.

>> It's delivery only. >> So delivery only. >> I want to make sure I'm clear. So yeah, if I go through a drive-thru and only get a shake, they're not tacking on money on me.

>> I actually wrote an article on this called spavers. It's people that spend more money thinking that they're going to save. So this is the mindset that they get you into.

>> Come up with that term. I've I'm not going to say the f word, but yes, I did. >> We need to copyright that. >> I came up with this term because here's what happened, Steve. People go online, they're in the Lululemon checkout thing.

They're at the Viori checkout thing. And basically, they're doing this on Amazon now as well. >> And it says that you spend $48. Did you know if you spend 75, you'll get free shipping?

>> Yeah. >> Right. Because the two most powerful words in the English language when it comes to marketing are free and zero. And it makes people do crazy stuff.

Steve, there was this guy Dan Erly who wrote this book called Predictably Irrational. And he actually did a sidebyside study and he said you can get two chocolates here. I have little Hershey's kisses. You've had them.

People love them. Free. >> It's the only kiss I get now. >> You can get lint. L I N DT, which is like Swiss chocolate. It's made in Zurich. It's unbelievable chocolate.

>> That sounds good. >> 13. >> Okay. >> Now, one of those little lint balls >> literally is going to cost you probably 75 cents to a dollar.

>> Oh. >> So, you're you're getting the thing at like a 80% discount to get the best chocolate in the world or the Hershey kiss for free. The difference is 13 cents.

>> Yeah. >> 95% of the people choose the free Hershey's Kiss. >> Damn. So, all it tells you is that these online vending places, they've gotten smart. And what they've said is, "We know that Steve will spend $27 more to get the free shipping, which cost $9.

So, you're you're a spaver, right? You spend 27 to save nine." I goes, "That doesn't make any sense whatsoever unless you really needed the $27 of stuff." >> That's true. But, I would see it as a deal. Like, I'm going to get one more garment and I'm half of it would have been spent on shipping. Now, I can put

that half on something I really need or want. Now, what you're gonna see in McDonald's if they set that small order limit at $15, you're going to see people that have spent nine and they're gonna be like, "Well, I might as well just get an extra burger." 100% of somebody and this is how they get you to spend more

because they think you're saving or they give you ticky tacky fees. It's like convenience fees, service fees, all these small fees where you're like, "Well, if I just spend more, I don't have any of these fees." In fact, Steve, this week, damn, I didn't even cover this topic. Vegas has officially decided

it's going to start offering all-inclusive deals. >> Now you're talking because they're hurting and people get there and they're like unless you're a regular gambler, you're not getting any deals.

>> But this is going to be like taking a cruise because what's going to happen is people going to go I got an allincclusive deal to Caesar's Palace. $1,500. I got shows. They're going to fly me over Fremont Street. I'm going to get free booze. By the way, you get free booze when you gamble anyway.

>> Yes, you do. But what the way they're going to crush people on this, right, is that there's going to be these resort fees. Like, Steve, if you want a lounge chair next to the pool, it's an extra hundred bucks. And then they're going to say, "Listen, yeah. Oh, it's true. All the alcohol was free. If you have

Smeirnoff vodka, if you want to have basically like Grey Goose or you want to have Titos, you want to have something else, it's an upcharge." Oh, >> and what are you going to do? They do this on all the cruise ships. They're like, "Yeah, there are three restaurants in here for the plebeians." You know,

the people that don't matter. >> It's plebeians up. This is great, man. This is the restaurant. All the people that do matter, it's going to be a hundred extra bucks and you could eat in this restaurant. And people do it because it's that same mentality every single time.

>> God, I mean, that's we're being played. >> Now, is this news you can use? >> Yes, this is news I'm going to use. >> Say you heard it first on Red, White, and Green, the small order fee. Check out what I put on the New York Post.

We'll put it up on the Red, White, and Green website as well, so you can see it. Now, better topic on news you can use. >> Okay, >> I cannot believe this. I want to start this by asking you when you used to go to the mall because I know you did. Oh,

yeah. >> And I did. What were the stores that you remember in the mall? Were there any that stuck out to you when you used to go as a kid?

>> Yeah. That one that sold all the X-rated stuff. What was that called? >> Spencer. Spencer. I remember Spencer. >> Oh, that was Blacklight Special in there. You know, everyone wanted a Led Zeppelin poster and a Heather Thomas and Heather Lair poster to put up in their room.

>> I had the fair faucet till mom. >> Oh, that was a great one. Her arch back like that. That was that was amazing. >> I have it framed at my house right now because my mom ripped it cuz she found it in my room. So I told her I said, "Mom, look what I've got now. I got that poster back and I framed it. So you

can't rip it." >> Now, do you remember ones like Chess King? >> Oh, I love Chess King. I wore the Chess King jacket and I called it the Battlestar Galactica jacket cuz that was the series that was on and it looked like one of their jackets and Chess King

had the best. >> The merrygoround was in there. Did you have members only? members only jackets were they they were big for one time right >> they wore but the Rickman's didn't have that kind of money so I wore lot which was an arov was lots as you have to shop

at Sears >> yeah we did Sears we did JC Penney god I was a regular JC Penney uh but no I will tell you the other store I love was Champions I like anywhere I could go and get all the cleats and the tennis shoes and all that >> was great stuff you know kids did not

like to go to Sears to get pants because remember the the three sizes were small medium medium and husky. >> Yeah. >> And it's just like I you can call somebody large and it feels upsetting, but a lot of people do wear large, but husky just sounds like you are so fat

you just have you have to wear it. Just doesn't >> Yeah. >> It's not good, is it? >> And kids knew if you were wearing knockoff clothing, trust me.

>> And why did you go to the mall? >> I went to the mall first off cuz my mom was going shopping. I never went until maybe my senior year of high school and after that socially because it's a place to meet people. Dude, you there's a lot of single girls walking around in clicks. you can meet somebody.

>> This is exactly what's happening in Generation Z because they've had all this social media and all this isolation. Malls are becoming cool again because it's given a place for kids to go to and get social and talk to other people, which is what we did at the mall.

>> Exactly. And it's indoors and air conditioned and you don't have to buy anything. You can just walk around. >> Most of the people hung out in the food court, right? You know, that's that's where it all happened. Do you you have the greatest uh food court mall in all the movies that you've ever seen?

>> Uh my favorite has to be Fast Times at Ridgemont. I love that one. That's the best when she's over there and the girls just are looking and they're all hot and the guys are walking up and the employees come up to talk to the other employees. That is the best. I love Fast Times at Ridgemont High because

>> Do you have a greatest line from that movie? Is there anything that you you love? >> Where he's like, "Dude, that's my head, man. I don't feel it." when when uh Spakoli is hitting his shoe against his head.

>> Don't you think we need to give it a StubHub and have Mike Deanone scalpers at the mall like they used to trying to sell two tickets to Blue Oyster cult? >> I would love to see Demone again. And I don't care if he drives a Gremlin, which he did.

>> He did have the greatest line in there when he tried to teach Rat about dating women or not caring. I'm not saying it's great today. >> You talking about the wallet where he forgot the wallet and he talked to him.

You >> he says in there, you don't care if she comes, stays, lays, or prays as long as her toes are still tapping. That is exactly what he says in there. But you're talking about when he orders a frankfooter or is a the woman will have a knock and I will have one too. Then he

forgets his wallet and he's sweating at the table. No, we'll have one more Pepsi. >> All right. If you're too young in your Gen Z, watch the movie. You might not like it, but it's it's hard not to like it.

>> It's worth a watch. My favorite scene though is the music in the uh Z28 when they're when they're driving. Uh that is a great movie. And the malls, I can tell you that the mall up here, North Point, uh, near us, and I know they're looking at possibly putting in hockey, but that mall is in great shape. I've been in it

a couple times. Uh, there's a slime placed in there for kids, but walking around, I saw a lot of people. Mall traffic is up 5% month over month the last 3 months, so it's actually making a comeback. This goes back with business.

If you're smart about capitalism and business, what comes around goes around this. You see this with clothes, you see this with music. Yes. Now you're seeing it with malls. What do you do with your kids? Let him leave the cell phone in the car. Stick him in the mall for a couple of hours. He'll actually come

back and talk to you. That's our advice here on Red and Green. And that's news you can use. And they didn't teach you this this week, Steve. I've got a really good one because people are asking all the time. I need a few rules or guidelines in my life around money.

Things that are easy to remember and tell me if they make sense or they don't. And I put together four rules that I think matter that can help people immediately think about how to become better with their money.

>> Yeah, I I read those and they do help. I mean, when I when I put myself in that situation, I'm like, that makes sense. And it does stay in your head. >> So, here's an easy one. People will often say, "Hey, I'm 40 years old. I got $500,000. How long is it going to take me for my money to double?"

>> Wow. >> And there is a rule called the rule of 72. Never heard. Take 72, divide it by whatever interest rate or return that you're getting. That's how long it will take your money to double. So if your bank's paying you 4% today, 72 divided by 4 is 18. It will take you 18 years

>> for that money to double in the bank. >> Okay? >> If you had your money in your stock market and you were fortunate enough to average 10%. I'm not saying that that's easy. It's not guaranteed. You would double in 7.2 years. So, when you're starting to think about a simple rule of

saying, "Yeah, somebody's managing my money or I'm doing it myself or whatever it may be." How long is it going to take money to double? Take 72, divide it by your number. That'll kind of tell you where you're at.

>> Dude, I you know, I know this is a uh a helpful show, but I can I can tell you the position 69. >> Yeah, >> that's the only number I know.

>> Does that help you financially? >> No, but it's fun. It makes life great. It could if I decided to do that for a living. Maybe you should come up with a a money rule about how that improves your sex life. Uh, you know, in general, >> a happy wife, happy life. I mean, I I got a few oneliners based on that, but

that's the only number I had. There is one that I will tell you that you do on the thirds, and I dig your thirds thing. I want you to revisit that. I saw that on social media. Again, you got to follow Ted Jenin because the rule of thirds made complete sense to me.

>> We're getting a lot of people to view those videos. And and this rule, I have tried to teach people about this with automobiles, but they don't listen, Steve.

>> And this is the 2010 for car rule, which means first of all, like a house, >> if you haven't saved enough money to put 20% down, you don't buy the car. >> You don't I'm giving you the don't just don't buy the car. You don't need it.

Drive the clunker. It doesn't matter um where it's at or how old it is. And then you should never have a payment that's more than 10% of your income. >> Okay?

>> Right? So this is the problem, right? If your income is 80 grand and you have a $1,000 car payment, you already messed up. >> You screwed up.

>> You already messed up. You're making seven grand a month. 10% of that be 700 a month, you're spending a,000. That's why it's a bad move. >> You never want that. But more importantly, your loan should never be more than four years.

>> And we're seeing loans now that are seven, eight years on a car. I mean, heck, I could be a finance manager at a car dealership and tell you how to get in the car. It's just going to crush you later. So, four years, that's generally the time that people start to get the itch. It gets a little bit longer, 5, 6

years. >> Well, they see their friends driving new cars. Everybody loves the new car. And a lot of these car makers are smart. They know that if they change the body style, you're going to feel like you're driving the covered wagon model.

>> But the reason four matters is most people traded seven. And you want a few years where that money that you were saving. Like I'm making a car payment of 700. In theory, I was always making that payment. The moment I'm not making that payment, it should be diverted into 401k, IRA, paying down my mortgage

quicker, doing something else, or rebuilding a new down deposit or the next car that I'm going to buy. If one loan bleeds into another, it's going to be going to be big trouble. I got two more I want to give you. Uh, one of them on here I'll mention in here, which is the rule of thirds.

>> Oh, thank you. That's again, I think people need to hear that. >> This is all about lifestyle creep. uh not creep creeps but lifestyle creep, you know, which basically just very simple. You make a salary today, you really want to try to learn to live off your salary, not the business, first of

all, but second of all, anytime that you get a pay raise, anytime you own a business and your income increases, anytime that you get a bonus, the rule is one-third will go to taxes. We do our best if you work with us to try to get that to go away.

>> A third of it should go to fun. Like if you don't enjoy your money and have some balance along the way, >> and then a third has to go to new savings, increase your 401k, start to pay down your mortgage quicker, build up another excess cash reserve, do something with it. Because most people

this time of year when they get their bonus, >> you know, uh get 50 grand in their bank, they immediately do the home improvement project, they buy themselves some goodies, and then 50 grand is gone.

>> Yeah. >> Right. And then what happens is you assume your income is going to keep growing and growing forever. That's the huge flaw. Eventually you're going to lose your job or it's going to lo, you know, you're going to quit it. You're going to have a blip where the company

says you can't make as much money as you did the year before or not paying those bonuses. And this is where people in America have gotten in into big problems >> or you get fired because you know you there's an HR complaint on you.

>> Um and then I'm going to give you my my Yeah. Does that happen to you? >> No. I made sure to always joke around with the HR person and if you can date the HR person at least for a little bit or or you know be go out drinking with them so they become your friend.

>> And then my last rule I want to give to people in here for money rule I call the acid test. A acid the acid test. Whenever you're going to buy anything, I don't care if it's $20 on Amazon or you're basically buying a new car. Ask yourself uh three questions. Do I want it? But you could say yes. Do I need it?

And three, can I afford it? And if you can't check the boxes in all three, don't do it. >> Wow. That is But that is discipline. >> Well, it it's really discipline. And that's great.

>> It's the reality of whether or not you want to be poor, right, or you want to build wealth. >> Yes. >> And the whole thing is building wealth in America, you're going to find people that build a lot of wealth are very disciplined people.

>> 100%. >> Okay. Every once in a while, somebody gets lucky, pick a stock, their business crushes it, and they really didn't do anything. But I talked the other day to a friend of mine who is doing well. We were talking about these concepts. She created something called the crunch cup.

For a lot of years, people were pouring cereal into a bowl and then you pour milk in it and the first few bites are good and then the rest gets really soggy. This is a cup that separates the milk and the cereal and then you you you sip it almost like you're sipping it out of a bottle like this. And the milk and

the cereal come together. So you don't need a spoon and you can have a fresh crunch with the milk every single time. >> So this is like an invention. >> You get it on Amazon now. We'll put it up here. I think it's like $21. You look it up on here for a crunch cup.

>> And you know the person that made it. >> Of course I do. >> That's awesome. >> Yeah, >> cuz I hate soggy cereal.

>> Nobody likes soggy. >> Fruity Pebbles were the worst. And not I don't eat cereal now, but as a kid I hated it. >> When your milk turned pink at the end of it.

>> Yeah. >> So you drank it anyway? >> Of course I did. When you had what were the other ones besides fruity >> Lucky Charms?

>> Count Chocolate. >> Did you have blueberry too? >> I wasn't a blueberry guy. I liked the count chocolate though. Kendon. >> Yeah, I like count chocolate chula. Uh I also liked life cereal but I poured a lot of sugar on it cuz Mikey ate it.

>> Hey Mikey, he likes it. >> He does. >> It's good stuff. >> And we all heard that Mikey died because he had pop rocks and drank Coke. But that's not true. Listen, like the kids that put Mentos into a Coca-Cola and put them on TV to see how

far the Coca-Cola bottle will shoot. What's the matter with you? Don't have more time in your hands to drop Mentos into Coke to see if it'll blow up. That's not how I want to die if it goes wrong.

>> That's how you know your kid has no chance to become a capitalist. If they're putting Mentos into a Coca-Cola bottle outside your garage, you got to set them straight here. Get them started on a business in here. But see, the Crunchy is a great example. Come up with an idea.

>> Sure. >> Get off your ass. Get out there and go do something with it. >> That's it. >> I'm thinking about starting another business today.

>> Are you? You already own 11. >> I don't know. Need 12. >> That's a good number. >> I need 12 on here. Now, I knew this one would be great because we're going to get to summertime soon. And to get the green today for money hacks, I want to talk about the fuzzy big yellow ball

tennis hack. >> Okay. >> Doesn't your wife play tennis? >> She does. She plays in that altitude. >> How much does it cost for a can of balls? I don't know, but she got a box sent in and didn't run it by me, but I got a box of balls and there's like 12

to 15 canisters of balls. I think they go for about $10 a canister. >> Is that still not one of the greatest uh It's greatest sounds of all time when it's all open.

>> Oh, it's the best. >> I had a very dirty and disgusting friend of mine who used to say this is what it was like when he would meet new women. It was like cracking open a can of tennis balls like every time because they had the excitement and enthusiasm.

That's awesome. >> I do. She does let the kids take turn on who opens them. So, here's the deal. And and I by the way, I'll put all five of these up on Red, White, and Green cuz I got farther hacks that could be good for you for this summer. But here's how this works.

You know, you're throwing money away every time you overrun your dryer. And this fix may be the thing sitting right in your garage. You have them. They could be brand new can or it could be other tennis balls. And you take two to three. They got to be clean and you haven't like played like, you know, 10

matches with them. >> I don't want a dirty ball in my dryer. >> What tennis balls do is a couple things. Number one, they reduce drying time. So on average, if it takes you 60 minutes to do a dryer load, it will generally run 40 minutes. Everyone's bitching about electricity now. This could help

you reduce your overall electricity bill. It also reduces clumping. Nobody likes it when the socks are stuck to your sweatpants and other things like that, but tennis balls reduce that friction inside of there. Reduces clumping. Makes it easier to take care of stuff. It also increases air flow.

And this is all think about space inside of a dryer, but it pushes and bounces things around the dryer. >> How many balls do you put in the balls just to >> You could use three, but I mean you could probably do a month's worth of load on one can of tennis balls.

>> Well, you brought up a point. I just got the highest electric bill I've ever gotten uh since I've lived in the home I've been in for seven years. It was $500, which is insane, >> right? And I'm saying on average it cost you about a $150 to dry and you'll probably save 20%.

>> Our dryer runs constantly. >> Yeah. With the kids and everything, you're running something in there every day. >> Anybody that has two kids, if there's four of you, it's running constantly. I believe the math that I ran is this will save you minimally $5 a month, but it

could be 15 a month or 180 $180 a year and it may cost you on a case, I don't know, 30 bucks to get all the uh all the tennis balls. They don't have to be like premium Wilson tennis balls. You can get the ones that you don't know the brand, you know, even on you have fewer repeat cycles. A lot of people have to do

towels uh multiple times or or heavy duty items that are in there. >> This is great. I think you could save an extra 50 to 100 bucks on the heavy duty stuff. But more importantly, these dryers aren't made like they're used to.

And eventually these things break and you know the people come in, you don't know what they're saying. They're speaking Swahili. You can't figure it out. You can't fix your own dryer. Good luck.

>> Good luck. >> That's could be an additional $500 to $1,000 over time. Plus the damage that can happen on your towels and jackets and bedding that are in there. So what's the hack today? Go on go on go out get a case of tennis balls. do this.

>> Put three balls in there and see if we're wrong or right. And comment right here in red, white, and green. Tell me I'm wrong. >> Dude, I am going to film and do this with with my wife. She's going to I know she's going to run the dryer twice today and I am going to put three tennis balls

in and I'm going to see if it goes if they dry quicker. >> You You can metaglass it. >> I I'll do it. I will. >> Nice soft fuzzy tennis balls in there in the dryer is going to make a big difference. Keep following the red, white, and green because I got a great

video of me squatting in front of the uh dryer. >> So, so that's your uh get the green money hack for the week. I mean, listen, this is why you think about what we do on this show. Like, if you love America and you love making money and you love capitalism, we're talking about all

these ideas. The key to really doing this is implement, right? The difference between some wealthy people or not is you execute. >> So, do it. Go get the tennis balls today. Put it in there, right? Use one of my rules today. use the rule of thirds at bonus time and say, "Honey, we

can't spend all 50 grand." Third's going right to our Roth IAS. Hey, yeah, let's have fun and do spring break with a third of it. And a third's going to go to taxes. Probably taken out of your paycheck already.

>> And you feel better on that vacation knowing that you've put money away. >> Listen, I haven't had a mortgage in 20 years. I went aggressive on it. I paid it all off. Best feeling in life? You can discuss rates and cheap 3% or what.

Best feeling in life, you drive up to your driveway and you say, "I own that shit." >> Wow. Nobody can take it away from me. Never done that one.

>> And even though the counties and cities are highway robbery with their property taxes, it's terrible. My kids don't even go to school and they charge me school taxes.

>> Oh, no. You should be off the hook. >> No, that's not the way that it works. >> No, the city says I got to pay for everybody else. Little redistribution. >> I appreciate it. I'll tap my >> I like capitalism and not not socialism.

>> Hey, Brooks Parker, Uncle Ted's paying for your school. So, uh, we got one, uh, mailbag question, which I know, uh, Southside Steve is going to like, >> which is, should you loan your relatives money?

>> No, you're not supposed to give it. If as long as you give it and don't expect it back, you're fine. >> Why do you have to give it? >> Uh, you don't have to. You don't. But I think the last thing you want to do is have a squabble with family and best friends. It's one of those things you're

like, look, pay me back when you can. I don't expect it. As long as you don't expect it, you're good. >> I do have to agree with you 100% here. Like there's a big difference between a gift and a loan and people get confused.

If you're going to loan money to a relative, >> it's all contract. >> Yeah. Make it official. Make it a promisory note. Make it because what's going to happen is you're going to go to Thanksgiving. You're going to see Uncle Eddie. You loan Eddie $10,000 and you

may not say but you are going to see Eddie didn't pay me back the damn money. >> I know. >> How's it going, Eddie? Oh, man. I just had a great time. We were in Vegas, you know, we we were doing all this stuff and you're like, "What the You got

to don't pay me back my money." >> That's it. You know what you do? You go down to the bank, you get a contract, and you have it drafted out of their account every month that amount into your account.

>> I don't loan to friends either, by the way. >> Yeah. >> I don't I say I give it to you because I I care about you. If I get it back, I get it back. That's fine. Then you know it's a gift. But when you loan money to a friend as well, your friendship will

get broken. It will it will end over time because they won't pay you back. You're going to see, then you're going to go after him, and it's going to be like, "Man, I thought like we're friends." >> Yeah, man.

>> Yeah. Well, there's no friendship in money. >> Will you say, and I've never asked you this, uh, I think money is the most evil thing in the world cuz it can just ruin friendships, relationships, and without it, you don't live to the level that maybe you should.

>> That's because money provides two of the biggest things in life, which are power and control. >> Yeah. >> Right. And when you have money, whoever has the money and makes the money in the family has the power. And whoever's running that money has the control. And

that control people do it just makes them do crazy things. >> Yes. Yes. You got to be level-headed with the money, but you got to make the money just so you have game. Good times.

I say I'd kind of like to own something. I'd kind of like not to have payments my whole life. And I'd kind of like to live in retirement in a nice home. >> As long as you can afford a bottle of Yeah. Come on. You're all set.

>> Yeah. That's all you need, man. You can live under a bridge. >> All right. Well, uh, every week like to wrap up with red, white, and scene. Don't loan your friends money, by the way. That's PSA announcement here. What to watch for in the upcoming week. And they didn't teach you this. I'm going to

teach people next week. There's only two ways. This is going to sound crazy when I say this. You can o own investments. Only two. >> Okay.

>> Now, there's all these investments. I'm going to break it down for you. So simple. You're never going to think about investments in another way that I'll talk about next week.

>> That's great. >> I also want I hear everyone talking about gas prices going through the roof and it's crazy. I've got three gas hacks so you can get more money, more mileage out of your car, if you will, on your dollar and a way to get gas cheaper.

>> I'm all about that. Diesel went from 79 to a full tank to 125 for me. >> I am going to tell you the exact time and day to buy gas. There's a there's a strategy to this.

>> For real, change your schedule if you want to get it cheaper. Uh, as always, we just updated the website. Absolutely. Go to red, white, and green.com. You can basically see all the shows that we've done, info on Steve and I. There's going to be much more things that we're going to be putting up there. Of course, if

you like what you saw today and this is your first time watching Red, White, and Green, please hit the subscribe button, tell your friends. A lot more people are commenting on the YouTube channel, watching our Instagram reels, and much, much more. And if you're behind on your finances, I've got a free thing for you

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No money at all and solving issues uh in your life. So, uh thanks for watching uh Red, White, and Green. Uh thanks for subscribing and we'll look forward to seeing you next week.

>> Yeah, come on.