Mom kept us busy and out of trouble (6 of us kids) by having us pick fruit at the neighbors for half; having a garden in the backyard, next door and 25 miles away; raising rabbits; and working early (I started babysitting at 12 and as a carhop at 14). The 3 gardens were canned to help us eat well all year round. The garden 25 miles away was where my grandparents lived. We could visit them every weekend and till the 5 acre patch Mom & Dad rented. Boy – we hated the work, but loved the results of it.

My family has spent the last 72 hours on the road and in hospitals. Everyone’s nerves were taut, but we united to demand the best care and help each other cope with love and humor. It’s a testament to both my parents that we pulled together instead of falling apart.

In the past, as a shopping addict, I would have reacted to the pain and uncertainty by splurging to distract myself. I’d have bought useless trinkets at the gift shop that Dad didn’t need or want in a pointless attempt to prove that I’m a caring daughter. (These would inevitably be sold at yard sales for pennies on the dollar because my parents have to clear out clutter sometimes.) My boyfriend and I would have stayed in a hotel with pricey amenities to relieve stress and dined at expensive restaurants to further numb ourselves. I might have wandered into an antique shop and picked up some nostalgic trinkets or bought new clothes, shoes or toiletries instead of planning ahead and packing well.

Instead, we gave Dad more important things like vigilance and undivided attention. We drove an extra hour to save $50 a night by staying with our relatives, not Paris Hilton’s. All of our meals were cheap fast food except one dinner that will be remembered because we shared it with the rest of the family. If I yearn for a keepsake, I can snag a hospital notepad, take pictures of my loved ones or buy something cheap but useful that will remind me of the experience.

As I made these decisions, the voices of my parents, both children of the Great Depression, were spurring me on. They have always lived within their means and been practical people. “Might as well” and “It’ll do” are the phrases that kept ringing in my subconscious. I’m glad I’ve progressed far enough on my financial journey that I could listen to them instead of letting them be drowned out by the temporary wants of an anxious situation.

I have often said many leftovers taste better the next day . . .

When my husband and I were first married, we were very poor–two babies and he was going to school. I chose to work only part time and stay home with the children as much as possible, so money remained tight pretty much until they left home. I’d go shopping with friends and family and want SO much to buy things. Then with the children on their own and with me working a good, full time job, we suddenly had excess money. I could pretty much afford to buy whatever I wanted when I went shopping; but, I found that I really didn’t want it. It’s much more fun to shop for good sales. Some of my favorite things have been from yard sales or from when JC Penney has their $2.97 to $4.97 clearance sales.

For example, in college I often brewed myself some coffee before my 8 am classes and labs (usually a couple times a week). I bought a decent coffee maker in order to do this. I have used it maybe 5 times since I graduated and since I moved over a year ago it has been in the box I moved it in!

Last weekend at lunch my friend (currently in grad school) mentioned buying a coffee pot in order to save money on coffee every day. I told her she could have the one I have. Sure, I could probably get a few bucks for it on Craigslist, but I think having a friend get use out of it is just as good of a value for me.

Great post!

I think my Dad sees wasting food as the worst possible sin, so I plan carefully to shop and cook for what we need, freezing leftovers as Kevin described above.

I always received a lot of praise and reinforcement for my saving efforts, from the first little toy I saved up for with my allowance (an outfit for my My Little Pony-very exciting when you’re 7 years old!) to money for university, and then a down payment for a home.

I think I also learned to value financial stability, but I didn’t realize it until later-I had friends who’s parents made it no secret to the kids when mortgage payments were difficult to make, and this stressed these young people immensely. I never had any clue if things were tight (we always had money for food and shelter, sometimes not much else, but hey, I didn’t know the difference)and this meant that I didn’t worry about money as a kid. I adore NOT worrying about money to this day, and take active steps to avoid situations that would make me worry about my finances.

I also learned that spending time with people you love is worth a lot more than money. I recall visiting a family friend who was a nanny for a very wealthy couple with two small children. As I played in the children’s fancy playroom and in their huge yard with a swing set and trampoline, I thought how great their life must be. I made a comment to this effect to my mom on the way home. She explained that these kids don’t get to see or play with their parents much, because their parents are so busy working-that’s why our friend took care of them. I thought this was horrible, and felt sorry for these very “priveleged” children immediately! I loved playing catch and going on bike rides with my dad, reading stories and doing crafts with my mom, (stuff that now I realize cost practically nothing) and thought that these kids were missing out big time. Funny how that’s stuck with me over 20 years later…

I guess I should thank my parents for helping me learn these important lessons, even if I didn’t realize it at the time!

My Mom is not a naturally frugal person, although through watching my sister and I she now shops and buys really great toys/books for her grandkids at consignment sales and off ebay. She gets amazing deals! She even gives them for gifts. I’m proud of her for that, because we love it!

The best thing my Mom did though was to teach me about money management. She taught me how to do my taxes, balance my checkbook/account, and live within a fixed budget.

I’m very grateful for all my parents taught me and have done for me over the years.

A post that made me feel quite emotional, given that my father passed away recently and my mother has dementia so couldn’t continue living in the family home alone.

I also failed to pick up on the lessons my parents tried to teach me about money (in fact I think I rebelled against them for a time). I remember that they always stuck to there budget, and if the money for the month ran out – that was it. We always ate well, but there would be no money for treats etc. until the next month.

I think that this is the important thing about budgeting that is often overlooked. There are any number of programs that will work out a budget for you, but sticking to it is the hard part.

Neil

The solution we found was to portion the leftovers into single-serving ZipLoc containers and freeze them. Now, we make huge batches of food and freeze them immediately. This has completely eliminated wasted food in our house, and has even allowed us to save even MORE money. I regularly buy meat that’s just a couple of days away from it’s “Best Before” date, and thus heavily discounted. I make a huge batch of rice, pasta, stir-fry, or whatever with it, and freeze the leftovers in single-serving containers, the same day. By cooking and freezing the meat right away, it will remain frozen until we microwave it to eat.

In fact, just this past weekend, my wife and I made a huge pot of penne and mixed in peas, carrots, 6 sliced up (cooked) chicken breasts, partially evaporated milk (a low-fat alfredo-style sauce substitute). We each had a plate for supper, and froze the rest in 22 ZipLoc containers for lunches.

This strategy has had numerous positive side effects. If we both get home late from work and don’t feel like cooking, instead of giving in to the tempation of hitting a fast-food joint, we just grab a couple ZipLoc containers from the freezer. Furthermore, the meals are much, much cheaper (less than $2/meal), and by making them ourselves, we can control how healthy they are.

I saw first hand the results of these lessons, my grandfather, a fire fighter, and a small business construction owner….died a millionaire – both in bank account, and by the number of people who adored him.

Cooking in large quantities is great too- it saves time and money. You can always throw leftovers in the freezer too, if you get sick of something, so you’ll have a little stockpile for days when you rally don’t feel like cooking.