The Man is trying to bring me down - or maybe your friends are - or maybe it's just me.

The worst thing a crab can do is crawl out of the bucket. When a crab tries to escape the other crabs will pull it back in. Sometimes your coworkers may unintentionally do the same. You'll notice when things start working there will be some who try and edge you from the path.

Don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

There will be times when it will be tempting to take all of your tips with you when you go out after work. "Don't worry about stopping by the bank...You can do that in the morning. We'll just be out for a little while and you won't spend much." A hundred bucks later you wake up with absolutely no cash and probably a decent sized headache. Just stop by the night deposit and drop some off on your way out. Sometimes if you actually head home for a bit first...you find you don't really want to go out, but if you do you can at least decide up front how much you will take with you and the maximum you should spend. These decisions are a lot better made up front than a couple of drinks in.

Maybe you have an exceptional night and want to celebrate. You should still drop some cash in a safe place and make your decision up front on how much you want to spend. I love celebrating - a lot: But you can easily turn an awesome $200 night into a $200 bar tab and a bunch of friends on the floor of your apartment. Which come to think of it can be a great night, but not if it means picking up three extra shifts later to make your bills.