Tuesday, May 16, 2006

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned!

I remember when I was a teen, I loved rap music. Whenever my mom would give me some money (what little she could), I would save it to go to downtown Rochester, and by a new cassette. One day I went to Record Town (Which is no longer there by the way) to by a cassette. When I handed the clerk my money, it was wrinkled and crinkled up. The guy asked me if I cared about my money. I replied, "yeah". Then he told me in a frustrated tone that I should keep it neat then. Ever since I have been for the most part.

I remember another lesson that I was taught. One that played a role in me writing this post. When I was a kid, I remember two lessons that my grandfather taught me

One: Keep up with current events. ("Watch the news Andy")
Two: My grandfather told me to save my money, even the pennies. He said that pennies add up, and that if I see one on the ground pick it up. Pennies do add up, and I do save them!

The Main reason behind this post.

For the last couple of days one of my co-workers (a fifteen year old) has been coming up to the desk to buy herself some lunch. The first time I cashed her out she did an honorable thing by donating her change which was about $1.93 to JDRF (juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). The second time it was four cents, which was no big deal. The third time it was about .$61, and when I went to give it to her, she wave me off and walked away talking on her cell-phone.

I don't know whether or not her family is rich or something (if so she wouldn't be working there), or she is a spoiled brat, or if she didn't have pockets in her pants, but I know one thing for sure, she isn't being very fiscally responsible with her money. It's frustrating because, I see people who would be happy to have that sixty one cents. I know I would have been when I was a kid. I told her as she was walking away from the desk the third time that even change adds up, she just ignored me and kept on talking on the phone and walking away. I was so frustrated that I wanted to turn her upside down and shake her as if I was checking to see if she had change in her pockets. I bet I would be rich right now if everyone on Earth that said "Keep the Change" gave there money to me. I have about $30.00 worth of change sitting upstairs in my bedroom right now. Last year I cashed in over $100.00 at a coinstar machine.

I am going to do an experiment. I am going to see how much money people throw away when they tell me to "Keep It". Starting today for the next month just to see how much change people throw away.

10 comments:

Chelle said...

You are gonna be RICH! That is if ya keep the change.. LOL @ that pun.... hahahhhaaa

shari said...

It sounds like you had a cool grandfather.
We have a change jar, and we call it the vacation fund, but we keep dipping into it. :)

BlogOmar said...

Can I get a loan?

Unknown said...

Of course depending on your tax rate a penny saved is 1.5 pennies earned.
Something only the rich seem to grasp properly...

X. Dell said...

(1) I like your sense of curiosity.

(2) Like you, I can really appreciate the value of sixty-one cents. Sometimes, five bucks feels like high finance.

Ari said...

We have a jar downstairs that my husband puts all his change in. About once a month, he'll go cash it in. It's an easy 30-40 dollars every month. If you multiply that by 12, that's $360 a year. Can you imagine throwing away that much money with NOTHING to show for it? But that's exactly what people do.

Ari

Michele said...

I have a change jar,and i hate
putting pennies in it.Here by
way of blogmad,stop by for a
visit.

Michele said...

I have a change jar,it's fun
watching it grow.

Steph said...

As a college student, I can appreciate the value of extra change. In a few years, that fifteen-year-old might consider keeping it.

Chris said...

Well I was going to give you my $.02 on this subject but now I think I will just keep it for myself. (ha ha ha)

Chris
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