March 27, 2014

  • Looking for Pennies

    Filthy lucre was my Grandmother’s term
    The lubricant of civilization was the textbook
    Righteous remuneration was what I wanted
    But it all came down to the same thing
    A wad of dough, some crisp smackers
    Cold hard cash and shiny coinage
    Two bits and a saw buck
    What I earned babysitting
    Every day for a month
    I thought I was rich

    The devaluation of labor and the inflation of our currency makes people careless with money. Maybe I'm just silly but I never pass up the opportunity to pick up a dropped coin. When traveling I have noticed that certain areas have different attitudes about coins. In California for instance, seems people discard all coins without a thought. They toss them on the ground in parking lots and at grocery stores. In the south, I noticed they toss pennies away much more frequently than here at home. Growing up I earned a whole dime for every A on my report card. It wasn't a gift - I earned it! I worked diligently on homework. I listened in class. I never skipped classes. Then again I also was given a quarter a week allowance - when my father would remember. When I was old enough to babysit, I started earning my own money. The going rate was 50 cents an hour. I would make maybe $2.00 a night. There was one family that paid very well, 50 cents an hour and then $1 an hour after midnight! They didn't go out often but when they did I could come home with up to $5. That was huge. I was very saving. I socked away nearly every penny I earned. I took to heart the saying "A penny saved is a penny earned".

Comments (23)

  • I agree with your work etthic. I decided that I wanted a car in high school when I was 8 years old and started doing ood jobs, selling chickens and used pocket books, plus I got a salary from the family business as a child and teen. In my junior year I bought a new Chevy for cash. I still like to save for big ticket items instead of daily cheap stuff.

    • There is a lack of ability in some folks for "delayed gratification". I blame the over use of credit cards...

  • that's why I don't go to gambling places. I worked too hard for my money.

  • I have never read any of the Cat who... I've heard they're good.
    I like this Sue Grafton cause she's enjoyable to read.

    with my foot surgery I will have lots of time to read and I've gone through all the books I had of hers. Once I find one author I like I liked to read them all.

  • You were one of the children, who were called lucky, because you received an allowance....

    Being raised in a family of five, we were lucky to get a nickel to by an ice cream, and very lucky to get 25 cents to go to the movies on the weekend.....

    Our favorite, when we lived in Indianapolis, White Castle Hamburgers!! They were only 10 cent a piece, but my Dad only bought them every pay day (Friday every other week)... Then they were only 5 cents a piece (Friday Specials).....He'd come home with 2 bags filled with White Castle Hamburgers, yummy!!

    I like your poem.....It's teaching the value of money earned, through hard work....Great writing, as usual!!

    • Thanks! My father rarely remembered to give us the allowance... by the time we were able to reliably call him on it we were earning more than the allowance. I think that was his plan all along! Still we never wanted for anything. Unlike some of my friends who got allowances, I never had to purchase my own clothes or shoes...

  • I don't like coins but never throw them away, but I also usually only pick up silver. People don't toss coins here. My parents had very humble beginnings so we were raised to be very practical. They were also very hard working and had investment savvy and it has paid off for them. They knew how to and where to spend and invest, savings is the way to go but real estate investment spending here was the better way. They passed that knowledge down to us, and it has paid off, although the market is way too high now.

    Probably the only thing that sounds out of character for our fam is that we enjoy trips to Vegas and my last visit was to celebrate my mother's birthday. We also realized that a visit to Vegas costs way less than many other vacation destinations, even with gambling.

    I also save when I can and live within my means. Don't spend on small trinkets but instead rather have cash for better things.

    • It is about priorities. We have choices and those choices affect others. You were good to have had parents that were wise with their expenditures. I'm not ford of Las Vegas but that is just me. I hope the housing market stabilizes soon. In my area there are lots of homes in foreclosure and if one had the $$ they could get them cheap...

  • I love your poem! All the words for "money" were fun! :-)
    And I agree with your work ethic! I pick up coins off the ground!
    I remember (from ages 11 - 15) babysitting for .50 cents an hour. And then at age 15 I got my first paycheck job...I worked at that job every day after school until 6 p.m. and full-time each Summer for 3 years (paying my way in life AND saving money for college.). I remember making $1.25 an hour to start.
    As one of eight kids, I didn't get an allowance OR paid to do chores.
    Silver-Dollar-HUGS!!! :-)

  • Pennies are no longer worth bending down to pick them up.

  • she is a small lab as labs go.
    they are very social dogs and want to be a part of the family.
    We are her 3rd family and she was only a year and a half old.
    They must have left her in the yard cause they said she chewed up everything.
    She's an indoor dog and is a lovable girl.

    • Dogs are only destructive when their needs are not met. She was either bored or sad... I bet she is grateful that she is home with you now and forever!

  • My first job (without my parents' knowledge) was at the medical school library. I was paid 1 Rupee and fifty paisa per hour for two hours on two nights of a week. Like saying some one got paid dollar fifty an hour. In those days, one dollar was equal to 15 Rupees. So you do the math! But I too felt like I was rich! My OWN money! Every thing is relative, no?

    • Hehe! Yes it is all relative! When I was making 50 cents an hour a pack of chewing gum was 5 cents and you got 7 sticks!

  • I keep two jars- one for pennies and the other for larger denomination coins.

    • It feels good to fill the jar and then cash it out for the paper stuff. It is amazing how all those pennies add up!

  • That's a fun poem, Val! I'm betting you had fun writing it! You also got some great discussion on the value of a good work ethic, the value of thriftiness, and appreciation of our blessings!

    • I am counting a poem a success when it spurs thought, evokes an emotional response, or sparks discussion. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!

  • I like it muchly!

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