My First Budget

I know it will date me to say so, but I grew up in the days of the paper boy. For six years of my life in Junior and Senior High school, I delivered papers from a bicycle.

At the end of the month I would go around to all the houses where I delivered papers and I would collect the money for the papers. After paying the newspaper office for the papers, everything that was left was mine. I remember sitting in the middle of the fl oor looking at all those quarters, nickels and dimes.

After paying the newspaper offi ce there were not that many greenbacks left but the piles of shiny coins were pretty impressive to a 12-year-old. While I was sitting there with all my loot, my dad walked in with half a dozen mason jars, some tape, and some little cards.

First, he told me his rule. Any child of his would be required to put half of anything they made into a savings account. I would not be able to spend any of this money until I left the family to be on my own. I think that is great rule. It not only provides an incentive for children to push out on their own, but it provides some of means for exerting their independence. So, he wrote on one of the cards, “Savings – 50%”. He taped the card to one of the mason jars.

 

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