Prison 101 Tip #15

Make sure you stay well stocked up on coffee. In state prison you don't have access to real coffee provided to you from the state with your three hots and a cot so you need to order it from commissary. When I was last locked up they offered two types, Nescafe instant and Columbia instant coffee. Both were shit, they are instant coffee, but better than nothing. The Nescafe red bag had more coffee in it but the Columbia yellow bag was stronger and tasted better. It was also more expensive but well worth it. You can also make a quick buck or two hustling coffee balls to other inmates if you are an enterprising criminal. Bag up enough coffee to make one cup and combine sugar, creamer, ect. Wrap it all up in a piece of plastic and make as many as you can out of the bag then sell them for whatever the going rate is. Monetary value is different in state prison than in the real world. Trade isn't based on cash because there is none so everything must be bartered for with what there is enough of, soup. Ramem noodle soups are the currency in state prison's across this beautiful country. A soup can usually buy you a coffee ball or most anything else. A soup usually cost about twenty five cents or so depending on where you are and you can order up to a case at a time which is 24 soups. Stock up on soup every time you can go to the commissary store because that will be your cash while you are in prison. Pay for your basic needs and wants with it instead of trading away better items that you have a real need for. In some prison's soup isn't the only currency. There are stamps, envelopes, and still cigarettes in a very few states. Any of these can be used for trade. If you are trying to purchase drugs or clothes/sneakers you will have to come up with something better. A money order sent from a loved one to an appropriate address can also be used to purchase whatever you want if you have someone on the outside willing to do such activities for you. This is where I come in if you acquire my services. It is just one of many I can provide for those seeking information or assistance of any kind before going in to start a prison sentence or while even incarcerated. If you are reading this and have a loved one locked up and don't want to deal with them put tell them about what I am offering and email me so they can write to my PO Box instead. Internet access is usually prohibited in prison unless it has to do with school of some kind. Good luck.