Was on the topic with a friend today. Not so much about earning, but more on lending and getting back, the relationships with people.
Here's my story.
Long ago when I was young (and naive), once, I had a friend, A, who needed to borrow $300 from me urgently. He promised he'd return the next day, and he did. I felt a little uneasy about it at first but I lent it to him because I felt like I could trust him.
Some months later, another friend, B, wanted to borrow money from me (A had nothing to do with this, and doesn't know B). I'd known him for about 4 years at that time, though not acquaintances, we were not that close, but I considered us friends to a degree. He wanted to borrow $1500 and back then, I had only a little more than $2000 in my savings. I counted on the friendship and trust, believing if one person would return (like A did) then everyone would.
For precautions anyway I made a photocopy of his IC and had him sign an IOU slip. He promised to return the full amount a month later.
First I received a bounced check, then more delays, eventually a change in phone number.
I went to the address on his IC but he didn't live with his family, they wouldn't help me chase the money back and said that it didn't matter to them whether I went to the police or not. It went on for more than half a year between my flying around and what nots.
The feeling of betrayed trust was nothing new, but it still hurt especially when it comes to losing almost everything you spent years saving up. (Yes unlike you'd probably like to imagine, I wasn't born into a life served on silver platter.)
Frustrated, cheated, lost and heartbroken, I stopped pursuing and never filed a claim. It was both too late and pretty much meaningless. I never spoke of it much except for the friend who witnessed me lending B the money that day, and some close friends when I was so upset over the case.
Today it was brought up again because as much as I hate it, I'd rather advice my friends against lending than seeing the price of false friendships costing so. I mean, my stepdad never returned my mum the money he borrowed from her for years even when they were married, talk about friends? Pft~
Anyway I'm just ranting and blabbering away. Do what you want, but know that every person you owe feels hurt beyond just the monetary values~