I believe that we're all the same in that when we get a really good deal on something, we feel pretty happy. You want something, you desire it, you get it, and you get it for a good price—you feel pretty happy; yes?
 
There's also the slightly other side of this issue—that’s when you get something for free. Every now and then, somebody gives you that something that you really want, or maybe you come into it some other way; but you got it for free, and you feel pretty happy about that; right?
 
Of course, there's the dark side of this whole issue. That’s where people get things for free, but they get them via various devious methods: be that stealing, lying, sneaking, and all of that other kind of stuff where something is taken from somebody—something that they don't really want to give. But, let's not look at that issue, at least for this moment.
 
To tell you a little bit of a personal story here… I've been Yelping for a lot of years. I've told why and how that all started in the past. Due to my extensive Yelping, I'm what's known as Yelp Elite. That's somebody who's written tons and tons of reviews and taken thousands of retail, product, and food photographs, and all of that kind of stuff. Anyway, because I am in that category, my local Yelp group periodically offers what's called, Yelp Elite Experiences. Meaning, some restaurant wants to possibly bring in new customers, so they give away something for free, so that Yelp Elite members will write about their restaurant and hopefully other people will find out about it. All good.
 
I was invited to one of those events the other day. It's actually at a restaurant that I have eaten at a lot since they opened about a year or so ago. They offer basically an Americanized, Vietnamese cuisine. Their Pho is very good. And please, never pronounce it, “Fhoo,” as Vietnamese people get very upset. It is pronounced, “Faa.” Anyway…
 
So, my lady, who is also Yelp Elite, and I go in there to eat the supposedly free meal. But, like I told her when we went in there, “I hate taking things for free.” Why? Because there is always karma attached to getting anything for free.
 
This is something that most people never think about. If something is offered for free, most people just grab it: good or bad, period. It's free! Why not take it? But, in everything you take, again, there is karma attached. If you get it for free, it is never really for free. There is payment due somewhere further down the road. For this reason, I virtually never allow anything to be given to me for free. Even, in events like this Yelp Elite Experience.
 
Anyway, I'm sure the server didn't think that this was going to happen, or anything like that, because a few Yelp Elite members had been in before us on that day. And, I'm sure they didn't give him anything. Just ate and ran. Me, however, I refuse to let that happen. I threw the guy a twenty spot at the end of the meal. I mean, he did a great job. Why shouldn't he at least receive a strong tip for his services?
 
This is just something you really need to think about as you pass through your life. Yes, it's great to get good deals. Yes, it's great to get things for free. Particularly, when it's something you really want. But, just know, nothing is ever really for free. There's always some sort of payment that comes in association with that free. It may be via your karma, somewhere down the line; paying some price that you didn't really want to pay. Or, if it's like the situation with me and that Pho, I hooked the guy up with a tasty tip. So yes, the meal was free. It normally costs us about fifty bucks for the two of us. But, at least our server got taken care of. Thus, the free was paid for, equaling clean karma.