Keeping it together

Last week at one of my jobs I was witness to an ingenious budgeting tactic.

A woman coming through my check-out line bought a gift card, paid for it, then paid for everything in her shopping cart with the gift card, thus keeping her expenses in check.

It was a brilliant maneuver. As someone who is a stranger to budget-making, and yet still manages to pay all the bills by not spending much, I am always interested in how other people stay within their means.

Having grown up in what would probably be referred to as an upper middle class household, I rarely had to think about money. There were certainly fat years and lean years, but the lean years meant the choice between public and private school (or private school and vacations...I chose public school). Sometimes Mom and Dad would talk about their solvency with me, other times they would hide it until I asked for something and was told it would have to wait.

I was not deprived. I did not go hungry. That did not mean I was oblivious to those less fortunate, less privileged.

I was aware of the stereotypes my peers and strangers had about Jews and money. I was prone to giving any money I had to homeless men and women on the streets of Knoxville. I didn't pick up pennies I'd see on the ground, in part because I had a classmate who would throw coins at the few Jewish students to see if we'd pocket them.

As an adult, I have occasionally sent out too many donation checks before paying my bills for the month, finding myself with a shortfall for the electric company. I am more careful now. With my dip in income, I am hyper-aware of what is available. I eat what is in the cabinets and fridge before stocking up at the store. I wear out my clothes before buying more. I fix my car, when I can afford the repairs, and take out a loan if I need to do something extensive.

In a lot of ways, I wish my family had talked about money more than we did. We were taught about saving, and had our own accounts. I remember bringing my piggy bank to get emptied and sorted for deposit. I rarely spent my allowance, and made loans to my siblings...often in exchange for borrowing their Walkman.

I try not to worry about money. It's only money. I can grow some of my food. I can cook all of it. I can fix some of my worn out clothes. I have a support network of friends and neighbors and family and synagogue and understand the resources available if I find myself in dire straits. I have worried about money in the past, and I hope to avoid that anxiety in the future, even as I am uncertain about my income sources this year.

When that time comes, I hope to employ skills I have learned from others, like the smart woman who came through my line last week.