Rodney

Always get the money up front unless it's a _real_ friend: somebody who's go 'way out of their way to help you out of a jam. Somebody like that would be very unlikely to stiff you. But how many friends do you have who've proved themselves in that way?

I know maybe four people in the world I'd take an IOU from (who aren't relatives). Two I would trust with my life; the others aren't so close to me, but they're so anally straight and honest in everything they do that they'd probably commit hara-kiri if they let somebody down in a financial transaction.

But for anybody less, cash up front. If they say, "But I'll have it in a month," answer "Well, then I'll see you in a month."