---
title: "Four money types to avoid or exploit"
description: "Greene's list of people who misuse money, to recognise before they poison you or to use against them."
canonical: https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/four-money-types-to-avoid-or-exploit/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# Four money types to avoid or exploit

> Greene's list of people who misuse money, to recognise before they poison you or to use against them.

Robert Greene's framework, from 48 Laws of Power, pp. 498 to 521.

Framework 24 of 27 from [48 Laws of Power](https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/index.md) by Robert Greene. Category: Leadership.

## The steps

1. **The Greedy Fish.** Sees only the balance sheet and alienates allies; avoid them or play on their greed.
2. **The Bargain Demon.** Wastes time and peace of mind hunting for bargains and infects others with the insecurity of not looking harder.
3. **The Sadist.** Plays vicious power games with money, such as late payment and meddling, so accept a loss rather than get entangled.
4. **The Indiscriminate Giver.** Gives to everyone out of a need to be loved, so the generosity has no effect and you feel burdened by their needs.

## Where it comes from

From chapter: LAW 40, pp. 498–521

What is offered for free usually hides a trick or an obligation, so pay your own way and pay the full price, and be strategically generous with money. Gonzalo Pizarro's search for El Dorado left over a hundred survivors out of thousands and helped ruin Spain, while the Duchess of Marlborough's penny-pinching sadism toward the architect Vanbrugh left her remembered for her cheapness. Greene's positive models are Aretino, who gave gifts to turn patrons into equals, James Rothschild, who threw lavish parties to win social acceptance, Lorenzo de' Medici, who funded art to disguise banking, and Louis XIV, who used unexpected gifts to soften opponents. He names four poisonous money types. The reversal is that you can bait suckers with a free lunch, as the Yellow Kid did.

## The animation

24 seconds, 4:5, no sound.

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- Still: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/four-money-types-to-avoid-or-exploit.png
- Still, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/48-laws-of-power/four-money-types-to-avoid-or-exploit-dark.png