"Tying up the money" or how cash in Romani hands appears to melt away

photo of spouses Nicky and Vela which was Nicky’s Facebook profile picture for over five years

Have you heard how rich people, especially generationally wealthy ones, don’t carry around cash? Well, we can tell you that generationally poor people don’t either - at least if they are Romani.

It’s liquid cash because it drips and drips… away

It’s almost a given, in our Romani community, that whatever amount of cash you have on you at any given moment, will be gone within hours.

If you have coins, they go for coffee. If you have smaller notes, they go for food and cigarettes. But not just for you. Also for whoever is around you at the moment. If you are hanging out with a Roma person who has just enough money for two coffees, they will buy one for themselves and one for you.