Grandma says: “A penny saved in a penny earned” and Waste not, want not.”
Grandma Pickett was the comptroller in her marriage. She took charge of and managed the money. In my mind, there were times when she would lend my grandfather, her husband, a nickel, write it in the ledger and expect him to repay it. I have no idea if that nickel made a purchase which was considered unnecessary or even frivolous. I am sure that all necessary items were budgeted. There never seemed to be a shortage of money for the few store-bought food items, feed for chickens or other animals, or such items as thread and buttons for making garments. I am pretty sure that there were also a few items such as coveralls which were store bought. I think that there were times when all the family income was derived from farm products although I know that there were other times when grandpa worked outside the home. When they were married grandma sold eggs and other farm products. During the time that they were divorced and grandpa was working in Chicago, she was working as a seamstress in a department store. In those days it was clear that women were poorly paid seamstress’ and men were better paid tailors. Even today if one googles women tailors one gets a few hits but, they still seem in short supply. I also suspect that there are also fewer men’s tailors although it still seems that if one is searching for a seamstress that is a job for women.
At any rate, it was clear that it was more difficult for grandma than it was for grandpa to earn a decent living. I have no records of the incomes of either of them
We grandchildren were often the recipients of grandma’s generosity. Naturally, we, as children, did not have any idea of what she and our grandfather sacrificed to have a seemingly never ending supply of hardy farm food for anyone who happened to be there at meal time or was gathering for a family visit, reunion or a picnic at the cemetery. There also were always ingredients to bake a pie, cake or main dish for the neighbor who might be sick or mourning the death of a family member. And the coffee pot was always on and ready for guests. No, I certainly did not add two and two. I just knew that food was always available as was material (often floor or feed sacks) to make various items. I also knew that, especially during the time that grandma was working as a seamstress, when we went to visit her she would give each of us children a quarter accompanied by what my childhood memory tells me was an hour-long lecture on the value of hard earned money and our responsibility to spend our quarter wisely and, if smart, save some of it. When I got older I would find a five-dollar bill in the birthday card or the Christmas card.
When store purchases were made it was expected that they would be treated with appropriate reverence and care. This included books – sometimes leather bound – music, and even a piano. Shoes must also have been store bought although every family had a cast iron anvil set (a stand with cast iron feet upon which the shoe to be repaired was placed), material for heels and soles as well as thread, glue, nails and, of course a hammer.
Every purchase, gift of money or income from the farm would be accompanied by a reminder that “a penny saved is a penny earned.” I imagine that both my grandfather’s railroad pension and their social security amounted to a meager amount and, yet there was a few thousand dollar inheritance for each of the grandchildren following grandma’s death.
Grandmother was very clear that wasting or not taking care of money, time, clothes or other items was a grievous sin which would not be pleasing to God – that God was not going to be handing one money if one failed to save every possible penny.
In fact, now that I think about it, there was another saying which often accompanied “A penny saved is a penny earned.” That was: “Waste not, want not.”
Today I often find myself advising clients who are struggling to live within a budget to keep track of everything they buy – including every cup of coffee – multiply it by the average number of times per year one buys said item and look at the total before making a decision to purchase something. I am sure that I am often, when counseling clients, channeling my comptroller grandmother! In fact, I am a bit surprised that she has not found a way to claim a royalty fee for my use of her wisdom! I am sure she is recording my debt in “the ledger.”
In all seriousness, even despite the devaluing of the penny it is still true that “A penny saved is a penny earned” and one will do well to heed the wisdom of “Waste not, want not.”
Written November 28, 2016
Grandma Pickett was the comptroller in her marriage. She took charge of and managed the money. In my mind, there were times when she would lend my grandfather, her husband, a nickel, write it in the ledger and expect him to repay it. I have no idea if that nickel made a purchase which was considered unnecessary or even frivolous. I am sure that all necessary items were budgeted. There never seemed to be a shortage of money for the few store-bought food items, feed for chickens or other animals, or such items as thread and buttons for making garments. I am pretty sure that there were also a few items such as coveralls which were store bought. I think that there were times when all the family income was derived from farm products although I know that there were other times when grandpa worked outside the home. When they were married grandma sold eggs and other farm products. During the time that they were divorced and grandpa was working in Chicago, she was working as a seamstress in a department store. In those days it was clear that women were poorly paid seamstress’ and men were better paid tailors. Even today if one googles women tailors one gets a few hits but, they still seem in short supply. I also suspect that there are also fewer men’s tailors although it still seems that if one is searching for a seamstress that is a job for women.
At any rate, it was clear that it was more difficult for grandma than it was for grandpa to earn a decent living. I have no records of the incomes of either of them
We grandchildren were often the recipients of grandma’s generosity. Naturally, we, as children, did not have any idea of what she and our grandfather sacrificed to have a seemingly never ending supply of hardy farm food for anyone who happened to be there at meal time or was gathering for a family visit, reunion or a picnic at the cemetery. There also were always ingredients to bake a pie, cake or main dish for the neighbor who might be sick or mourning the death of a family member. And the coffee pot was always on and ready for guests. No, I certainly did not add two and two. I just knew that food was always available as was material (often floor or feed sacks) to make various items. I also knew that, especially during the time that grandma was working as a seamstress, when we went to visit her she would give each of us children a quarter accompanied by what my childhood memory tells me was an hour-long lecture on the value of hard earned money and our responsibility to spend our quarter wisely and, if smart, save some of it. When I got older I would find a five-dollar bill in the birthday card or the Christmas card.
When store purchases were made it was expected that they would be treated with appropriate reverence and care. This included books – sometimes leather bound – music, and even a piano. Shoes must also have been store bought although every family had a cast iron anvil set (a stand with cast iron feet upon which the shoe to be repaired was placed), material for heels and soles as well as thread, glue, nails and, of course a hammer.
Every purchase, gift of money or income from the farm would be accompanied by a reminder that “a penny saved is a penny earned.” I imagine that both my grandfather’s railroad pension and their social security amounted to a meager amount and, yet there was a few thousand dollar inheritance for each of the grandchildren following grandma’s death.
Grandmother was very clear that wasting or not taking care of money, time, clothes or other items was a grievous sin which would not be pleasing to God – that God was not going to be handing one money if one failed to save every possible penny.
In fact, now that I think about it, there was another saying which often accompanied “A penny saved is a penny earned.” That was: “Waste not, want not.”
Today I often find myself advising clients who are struggling to live within a budget to keep track of everything they buy – including every cup of coffee – multiply it by the average number of times per year one buys said item and look at the total before making a decision to purchase something. I am sure that I am often, when counseling clients, channeling my comptroller grandmother! In fact, I am a bit surprised that she has not found a way to claim a royalty fee for my use of her wisdom! I am sure she is recording my debt in “the ledger.”
In all seriousness, even despite the devaluing of the penny it is still true that “A penny saved is a penny earned” and one will do well to heed the wisdom of “Waste not, want not.”
Written November 28, 2016
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