Memorable Money Words from Daddy
A Musical Tribute to our Fathers on their Day
Welcome back frugalicious folks!! Hopefully you celebrated
your Father this past weekend and he is feeling honored!! I attended church
with my parents, went out to dinner at his favorite steakhouse, for which my
Mom used a coupon (I had back ups, just in case) and later watched the
NBA playoffs together. For some reason, we always end up cheering for opposite
teams…AND his team won, of course!! LOL Regardless, it was a day that was
enjoyed by all and he was especially appreciative of his gifts and time spent
with family.
This brings me to our topic this week; it’s more of Daddy’s
advice and in my case he has always demonstrated this and gladly passed it on
to me and my daughter. Now, in my opinion, you can’t honor your Father and not
recognize the awesome woman behind the awesome man, so his advice will be
sprinkled with Mom’s words too!! After all, they are a team!! My parental team
will be celebrating 35 years in August!! Can’t you tell I’m so proud of them?
Yay!!
Mom & Dad
said: “Enjoy Your Life”
Dancing In The Street...Martha & The Vandellas
Looking back, I don’t recall many childhood lazy days. I
wasn’t a Saturday morning cartoon child on the regular, only occasionally. My
mother believed in children making productive use of their time and enjoying
life. She had me in several activities during the week like Girl Scouts and
other volunteer opportunities and Saturdays were no different. My day went a
little something like this:
- Breakfast at home
- 9 o’clock ballet class
- 10 o’clock tap class
- Lunch at the mall
- Shopping at Jacobson’s (back when we had a Jacobson’s)
I mentioned before my Mom paid her bills in full, but I
didn’t mention that she was and still is very much a planner. She takes
inventory of her funds and sets them aside to enjoy the things she wants out of
life. I’m sure her way of thinking was the reason we went on vacations every
summer and why my parents never miss a family reunion, in or out of town. She
and my Dad kept their finances separate and it has and continues to work for
them. It’s why I feel strongly that in addition to a joint account for bills,
Belles, we need to have our own money on the side. If you have two different
money handling styles, you can’t put ALL your eggs in one basket as one day,
you might find a completely empty nest.
My Dad’s money style was a bit different. He sometimes acted
like money burned a hole in pockets, but there was never a dull moment with
him. He spent money on things he and his family enjoyed. He has always been a
provider, so the fact that he is generous is pretty much a given. He taught me,
as he showed me over and over again, that if you give freely, it will come back
to you. Don’t let people borrow money, just give it to them. Then there are no
arguments because you will get it back eventually. His guarantee of that was
the very first money promise I remember and I cherish it today.
In conclusion, saving money is great. Having money put away
for rainy days is awesome. Investing and seeing your money grow is awesome!!
However, all the hard work that we put into tending to the growth of our
finances means nothing if we never take the time to enjoy the fruits of our
labor. If you do just a little planning ahead of time, you can do whatever you
want to do. Take that trip you’ve always wanted to; purchase your favorite
piece of artwork; open up your dream business. If you work hard, you deserve to
play hard too. Enjoy your life!!
SUMMER FUN!!
Speaking of enjoying your life, summer is the time for you
and your children to enjoy the great weather and celebrate that school’s out!! Look
for specialty day camps in your area, based on your child’s interests or even
have them try something new. Space camp, cooking camp, technology camp, whatever
you can find. One year my daughter decided to go to school…for a week long
Constructions Careers Camp. She learned about copper pipes and carpentry, where
she got to work with her hands. It was a fun learning time and you never know
what interest you’ll spark in your child. Have fun this summer and enjoy!!
Frugalicious Diva
Follow me on Twitter at @FrugaliciousDva
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