Money Woes

[Madame X]

The Ricardos and Mertzes had many schemes to make money. Most of them backfired, but some small ones paid off.

Can you add to the list?

Losses:
$50,000 lost on the sale of the dress shop
Oil was struck moments after they sold their stock
1,000,000+ francs lost at the last moment on the roulette wheel (22 black)
$1000 lost on the diner fiasco
$3000 went to the Ladies' Overseas Aid
$483 on two sides of beef (at least the freezer was free)

Gains:
$1000 on the quiz show
$300 with Bonus Bucks
$500 with the Martian gig
$500 on the radio show
$1000 investing in CanAllPet

Unfortunately, most of their gains were used up paying for damages!

[Lodee]

How do you remember this stuff? I'm impressed!

What about the money she gave to the bald men and then Ricky couldn't come home? I can't remember the amount she paid though.

$75 for the washer that fell off the balcony.

[Ireneparalegal]

You are right abt the losses/damages on the gains part:

The bonus bucks was a loss as the fab four had to pay for the damages at the laundry mat, the taxi cab fare, the taxi driver getting a speeding ticket, etc. They were left with $1.00 after winning.

The washing machine fiasco. They could have had $75 to split 2 ways but that was lost when the machine went over the rail.

Lucy had to pay that $700 (was that the amount?) for the grocery charges in the business manager episode.

As for the bald men, she paid $100 for dinner and just having those bald dudes there at her home.

[Lodee]

I edited mine from $60. Thanks Irene. At least I was close.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by Lodee

I edited mine from $60. Thanks Irene. At least I was close.

No problem. Hell, I can't remember stuff from ILL myself and I have been watching it for over 35 years.

Also, when the Ricardos leased their apartment for the summer, after the couples fought and made up, they were going to split the profits from the rent. I can't remember the amount though. See Lodee, I can't remember either.

When Ricky put $500 deposit on the Connecticut house and it was returned after the threesome caused the man and his wife to be scared, Ricky then was made to pay a down payment in the amount of $1050.

Let's not forget the numerous bets or gags that cost Lucy God knows what amount of money just to make the apartment look like Cuba, Men are Messy, when the fab four were trying to live like the 1900's, etc. Ethel alone spent almost $25 just to make butter. Hell, she should have just bought the butter.

[Larry Surrell]

How about the furniture Lucy sold to Mr. Jenkins the junk dealer that Ricky had to buy back.

All the nick nacks they had to replace in the Hollywood hotel room after Ricky smashed them.

The Jacques Sharpontier (sp?) "Original" paintings they all bought in Paris.

The cost of a replacement Yankee Doodle Day statue.

I wonder if Lucy had to pay for all the damage she caused on that riding lawn mower.

Buying and selling the Diner.

I'm sure there are tons more examples of losses; I can't think of any real gains!

[OH Nuts!]

$800 loss on The Diner. (They paid $2K and re-sold it for $1,200)

[Ireneparalegal]

The damages Ricky had to pay for when Lucy thought the neighbors were spies and they shot rifles in the apartment.

The money Ricky lost out on when he forgot abt the Mertzes and he had a great deal on train tickets from Hollywood back to New York.

The money lost on the Florida train tickets because Lucy couldn't find them and they ended up sharing a ride.

The money they paid for those two large Tunas for that bet in Florida.

[Ireneparalegal]

I wonder what it cost Ricky to travel to Connecticut with Lucy when they were getting "remarried" since Lucy fell for the gag that Fred and Ricky set up at the marriage license place by asking the clerk to tell Lucy that Ricky and she were not legally married?

The cost of the elephant that Lucy and Ethel got for the Kleptomaniac episode.

In the episode where Lucy pretends to be a majarincess. She and Ethel book themselves into the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Not to mention the costumes, wigs and make-up.

When Lucy tried to help Ricky ask for a raise from Mr. Littlefield. Ricky eventually quit. He was receiving unemployment insurance. Although I am not sure how he could if he quit his job. Anyhoo, the cost of losing his job and receiving a small unemployment check must have added up to a pretty penny.

The Operetta. Lucy had to use her household money to cover the check since she had left the treasury money account empty after borrowing from it to pay her household bills.

In the Courtroom episode, it cost the couples to fix the broken televisions.

When Lucy redecorates the bedroom, it was such a mess I am sure it cost a lot of money to fix what Ethel and Lucy had done to those walls.

[tdr]

When Lucy went shopping with Betty Ramsey, and Ricky told her she could spend no more than $500 for new furniture, and she wouldn't admit they weren't as wealthy as Betty thought, and she spent "over 3 thousand dollars." But then, after the fight between Ricky and Ralph, Ricky is given a televeision appearance that pays $3500. After taxes and maybe other fees, we don't know for sure if that's a gain or a loss, but it seems it should be a loss.

The Ricardos lose and the Mertzes 'just about' break even on the train ticket deal to go back to New York from Hollywood-- Ricky bought the same compartment twice after Fred traded it in for 2 upper berths. Actually that's about the same as going to Hollywood in the first place, since Ricky bought the new Pontiac and was allowed the same amount in a trade-in for the old Cadillac wreck that Fred had paid for it. So the Mertzes got 2 long free rides, remembering that they totally refused to even pay for half the fuel. [But how could Ricky get a trade-in on a car he didn't even own, and the dealer by strong implication had not even seen? Even if he could, on a wreck, that would have been just a 'coming down' on the price of the new car, and Ricky just gave the "saved" money to Fred, who refused to share any expenses on the California journey, and later in Switzerland admitted he overcharge Ricky on rent. Fred really was stingy, wasn't he?]

And, though not technically a loss, since they never actually had the money or assets, when Lucy connived to get their investment back from Mr. Johnson, the oil driller, who by all observation was legitimate afterall and struck a big one shortly thereafter. And probably the Johnsons left the building after Lucy's insults (on behalf of all 4) to them of being swindlers, so Fred may have demanded Ricky and Lucy pay the rent on that apartment until another tenant moved in-- though if they refused, he shouldn't have a claim [and shouldn't that earlier time either, as Fred and Ethel were also involved in chasing that acting couple out].

This topic can almost get exhausting .

[Ireneparalegal]

In Switzerland, though Fred admitted to charging Ricky $10 extra dollars a month, Ethel then confessed that she gave Ricky back the $10 each month. So Ricky didn't lose out on that. However, I find it hard to believe that Fred never caught on to that since he did the books and he surely would have seen that $10 extra dollars missing from the monthly ledgers.


As for the trip to Hollywood, Fred was stingy for not paying for half of the gas. I keep telling myself that the Ricardos did "invite them along" so technically, if someone invites you on a trip, it is assumed they pay the expenses of getting there. However, I wouldn't feel right going on a trip, even if I was invited, without paying for either half the fuel or at least pay for my own hotel accomodations or the food eaten on the way. Afterall, the Mertzes didn't pay for their hotel accomodations in Hollywood, the studio paid all of Ricky's expenses. So really any souvenirs, dresses, food eating out, etc. came out of the fab four's pockets. Fred was stingy to not pay for at least the gas in some way.

[Ireneparalegal]

The profit the Ricardos lost out on when the Mertzes became mad at them for subleasing their apartment for an additional $150.

Also, what was the deal with the theatre tickets for Ethel's birthday? I can't recall the exact details but someone ended up losing on that matter. Help!

[schoolmom]

Talking about Lucy & money, have you ever noticed what happens every time
Lucy is in a bet with someone? Example-in Pioneer Days. What she paid for
all that old-fashioned stuff that was in the kitchen was FAR more than they
would've had to pay had they lost the bet. I know there are other examples,
I just can't think of more right now. When she made a bet, with her, it HAD
to just be the principle of the thing. I just thought of something else, wonder
what they paid for those HUGE tunas in Florida that they bought for "insurance!"
Of course, the men bought one too! ha!

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by schoolmom

Talking about Lucy & money, have you ever noticed what happens every time
Lucy is in a bet with someone? Example-in Pioneer Days. What she paid for
all that old-fashioned stuff that was in the kitchen was FAR more than they
would've had to pay had they lost the bet. I know there are other examples,
I just can't think of more right now. When she made a bet, with her, it HAD
to just be the principle of the thing. I just thought of something else, wonder
what they paid for those HUGE tunas in Florida that they bought for "insurance!"
Of course, the men bought one too! ha!

Yes, there is a thread on this ILL board discussing all those money issues that you mentioned.

[Larry Surrell]

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

Also, what was the deal with the theatre tickets for Ethel's birthday? I can't recall the exact details but someone ended up losing on that matter. Help!

I think Fred was the loser on that one. He paid Ricky for their two tickets and just told Ethel that he bought them, but didn't say from whom.

Another ticket loss was when they went to see "The Most Happy Fella." They bought matinee tickets which they didn't use, then bought two more and the theater manager made them pay for two more tickets when he found out they were sitting four in two seats.