Money Management Monday - Accidental Participation in Counterfeitting

So last weekend I was in Baldwinsville for Lulu's second fight (spoiler alert - she won!) and while we were there we hit up the Regional Market in Syracuse. We have been to the Regional Market a number of times and next to the Rochester Public Market it is one of my favorite markets.  Now I had intended to stop at my bank before leaving ROC to break a $100 bill. I did not. 

When we arrived at the Market I asked one of the larger vendors (bigger space, lots of product) if he was able to break a $100 in order for us to purchase Red Jacket Juice (a favorite of ours). He stated eagerly that he could. So we purchased our juices and he gave me 4 $20 bills. Now me being me I didn't even look at the $20 bills. Instead we continued our shopping. Some Fudge, some Coconut Brittle (dipped in dark chocolate), a Blue Pot for Sampson's succulent, several gluten free goodies from a lovely local vendor and a few other things (about $60 worth total). 

Back at our hotel I headed over to the local Kinneys to pickup a few things (Plantain Chips) and the cashier had a funny look when she saw my $20. She marked it and then she looked worried. She informed me quite regretfully and apologetically that I had a counterfeit $20. She showed it to me and I said I don't know what the pen is supposed to look like. I was shocked. As the shock wore off I could see the color was not quite right (close) and the margins were wrong. This was clearly a fake. 

She had to call her manager up and he took the twenty, my name and number and asked me if I knew where I had gotten the 20 from. I was a little upset that I was out 20 bucks with NO RECOURSE, but VERY upset that I may have passed fake 20s to a few small businesses at the Regional Market. Small businesses that a $20 loss is a big deal to. 

The lesson to me was not to take $100 bills anywhere but the bank to break them, but also that I am fortunate enough to be able to withstand a 20 loss. 

I began to feel that familiar panic as the weekend wore on and my cash began to dwindle, but when I returned home I found that my money was exactly where it should be. Once again I had to remind myself of the paragraph in Sheila Kennedy's book Choices to Change about looking at money from a mindset of ABUNDANCE and not from a point of LACK. This will take time, but as I find myself panicking about these things I remind myself that I am supported by the Universe and that this is a Universe of plenty and abundance. 

When I let go and allow the Universe to support me the right people come into my life at the right times and I am fully supported.