POP icon Madonna told us in 1984 that the boy with the “cold hard cash” is always Mister Right, and Beyoncé and her crew followed up with Bills, Bills, Bills in 1999, insisting that women would only chill with men if they had the moolah, the dough, the dinero, or whatever other name you want to give to cold, hard cash. Sometimes a few pieces of this paper can be worth more than your life, your morals, your happiness — and even though they say money can’t buy the latter, for many people, it certainly helps.

But we all know that money doesn’t grow on trees, so if we’re not making the bank in whatever career field we choose, someone else will have to supplement that currency. And though for many people this exchange, this transaction, goes off without hiccups, for others they have to do the most demeaning and mortifying things — all in the name of making bank.

Can you relate? What’s the most undignified thing you’ve done for money?

Lisa, 24:

I believe in what’s right and in having people take responsibility, so I’d say taking my babydaddy to court was the most demeaning experience, just because of what I had to go through. And after all that happened, the money I get weekly can’t even buy snacks, and I have to wait each time for his wife to find time to deposit the money. He works good money and can well afford to take care of his daughter but he hid his true earnings in court.

And just the way I felt judged by everybody in court for having a child for a married man was a bitter experience. The whole experience made me feel so violated that I regret putting myself through it. But, I still am proud that I stood up for what was right for my child, and that her future is somewhat secure.

Debra, 32:

I dropped out of high school in grade nine and it’s been a struggle since then. I got a job when I turned 18 but the pay was barely enough to pay my taxi fare, so I left that. I got another job in a hotel, but the long hours for low pay was again too much. I remember one time I was so down that when a guy I knew made an offer for a group of us to go dance in a small island for a few months, I jumped at it. I did it and it worked out, and I didn’t feel bad because the whole time I knew I had no other choice; and I imagined that I was in Showgirls and I was an actress, and that wasn’t my reality. My family thought I was working in a casino, and they’d judge me if they found out, but I had to find a way to earn.

Diedre, 43:

I was living with my cousin in Kingston because my parents couldn’t afford it, and she sent me to high school. After grade 11 my cousin told me I had to get a job to help her with the bills, but I wanted to go to sixth form. The only way to realistically do that was to either get a part-time job or find a man, and I did number two. This taxi driver on our route was always interested in me, and I’m ashamed to say that’s the way I was able to do sixth form. Luckily, he was decent and said he would wait until I was 18 to put “serious argument” to me, but I took his money in exchange for dates and kissing. I turned 18 in upper sixth and moved in with a friend’s family from school, because no way could I fulfil my part of the bargain with the taxi man. So basically I conned him into paying for my education then cut when it was time to make payment with my virtue.

Candice, 40:

When I was in high school in the country there was this taxi driver who always took me home. He was a friend of my older sister so I trusted him. One time I didn’t have the full fare and it was raining hard and I wanted a turn-off (go off-route), because I had no umbrella. That would cost even more money that I didn’t have. I told him I was short and he passed my stop, dropped off every other passenger, then asked what I was going to do to make up the fare. I went silent and he started driving, while rubbing my knee. I’m ashamed to say that I just sat there, but as soon as he reached my gate I ran out of the car and slammed the door so fast that I caught my thumb in the car door and eventually lost my fingernail. So basically I made a taxi man rub my leg for a free ride.