I always wanted to play with my siblings. They were gracious little kids and often let follow them around and allowed me be "it" in Tag. I'm sure I annoyed them, but, as the youngest, I was just happy to be near them. As the youngest, my perception of our time spent was a slow-moving scene in a Disney movie. Moments when rays of sunshine made every moment a well-edited treasure. It wasn't until later on, I realized just how cleaver they were.
One afternoon, in particular, stands out. I don't know how many coins I possessed, but any amount is gold when young.
"Hey Les! Just bury that money right here," encouraged the older two.
"Why, should I?"
"Well, when you dig it up tomorrow, you will find a ring."
"Instead of my money?"
"Yup, instead of your money."
"Cool." It looks me a minute to make a hole in the ground with my fingers. I dropped my money and pushed the dirt back into place.
Minutes, hours, and days are much longer as as child (in the same way that candy bars were bigger), but I waited until morning. The next day, I located my plot and started to dig. Nothing. A little to the left? Nothing. To the right? Nothing. My naivety just shrugged it off, but years later I realized I had been swindled. Those crooks! I hope they enjoyed their box of Lemonheads (or whatever they bought), because they would never take advantage of me again.
It was that very moment when my relationship with money shifted (or sometime around that moment). Instead of enjoying coins as a treasure, I kept my stash close. Money was desirable and therefore must be protected. Looking back at this memory now, I applaud my siblings. Their keen ability to dangle something more desirable than money to swindle their little sister was well played siblings, well played.
More than twenty-five years later, I still keep my money close. Well, try to. I am overly cautious to avoid being taken by crooks. My problem with money in my adult years is that there never seems to be enough of it around. Money is still a treasure, because we all need it to survive. It's a necessary evil.
Each year, I try to make more "adult" decisions when it comes to money. This year, I'm trying to redefine my relationship with money and get some in savings. The rules I'm following this year are:
NO CASH, NO BUY: That's simple enough, right? If you're fond of shopping online or shopping in general, this rule takes a bit of self-control. This rule doesn't say that I can't buy anything, it just says I have to use cash. One site that helps me stick to this goal is SmartyPig. SmartyPig is a free online savings account. You can make savings goals, add money to them, and earn interest. Save the credit cards for emergencies.
SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY: My husband and I are trying the 52-Week Savings Plan. This plan is all over Pinterest these days. There are 52-weeks in the year. For Week 1, save $1. For Week 2, save $2. For Week 48, save $48... Get the idea? At the end of the year, you will have $1,378. Not bad, huh? My sister pointed out that finding larger amounts of money towards the end of the year would be difficult. Excellent point! I found a chart online and I check off random amounts. I just make sure to check off a box each week.
NO PAPER COFFEE CUPS: Okay, this rule may seem a bit hipster, but it does save me a lot of money. I get a bit stressed out when I think of everything that goes into landfills, so I try to do my part. I love me a good cup of coffee, but I only allow myself to partake if I have my own mug. I forget my mug 80% of the time. Guess what that means? No coffee. No money spent. I am a genius. Okay, I'm just a hippie, but you have to admit this is a good idea on so many levels.
So, that's it. I am no longer going to spend money I don't have and then become a slave to credit companies. It's just money. Too much of it causes problems (I know you've watched The Curse of the Lottery). Too little of it causes problems. I don't know what the right amount of money is, but I'm not going to worry about it.
