Money in the Family

     Who other than PBS could interest me in a subject up until now I have avoided like the plague?  A week or so ago I saw a program on economics.  It was fascinating!.  I especially liked the part that said the X factor in economics is the human element. (That seems obvious but geniuses came up with the notion so what can you say?) And I love the term rational economics,  partly because it began, so to speak, at the University of Chicago and I love the University of Chicago, and partly because it makes sense..  Anyway, I got to thinking about people and their money styles, then about my family and THEIR money styles.  Needless to say, there are tales to tell.
     Besides the brilliant teaching and advice of their parents my childrens financial philosophy background on the Mom side came from Pop-Pop who paid off all bills every month, bought cars with cash, and had two mortgages but no other loans his whole life,  and Nana who learned to write a check when she was 32 and never though she had enough money.  Paternal people consisted of two frugal to a fault farmers who were embarrassed by the slightest hint of "wealth." For instance, Grandma was humiliated by her working adult daughter's trip to Europe.  "Where will people think you got the money?," she lamented. Thank God the kids did not inherit this assinine attitude.
    We'll briefly analyse four sibling financial styles. Little Ingrid always seemed to forget her wallet on shopping excursions. We, of course, would lend her the money for her purchases but Ingrid was highly insulted at the notion that she should pay us back. Of course, these days she realizes having a wallet at hand is a very smart move.
     Young Jamie's first shopping expedition was a revelation to him. He chose a toy in the local 5 & 10, asked how much it cost, then went up to the checkout counter and stood there.  It became apparent that Jamie thought the cashier would give HIM $5.99 as well as the toy.  He was stunned to discover it was he who had to fork over the dough!  To this day James is very careful about his purchases and enjoys a bulging wallet rather than a big bag of stuff.
     Kit, perhaps, has the most "normal" attitude towards financial matters.  He spends when he wants to with neither anxiety nor regret.  After making a purchase as a little boy, Christian was usually thrilled and had no lamentations about the depletion of his fortune.
     Alex, I would say, loves spending money the most.  Usually it is because he wants the item ever so badly and is very excited when it becomes his.  Lilttle Alex would be the first to ask to go shopping after a birthday or Christmas windfall and the expression about money burning a hole in one's pocket was a phrase Alex would never have to consider.  Getting rid of money as fast as he could would avert this potential disaster.
     So my hope is that after all this financial training everyone now  has lots of plain old common sense.  It should serve them well.


    
    
     .