Credit History

I often find myself starting posts and then saving them because I feel they need a bit more background. That the true inspiration for many of my thrifty thoughts needs to be told before I proceed. I have known what I wanted to say for some time, but just haven't put it out there yet. So before I discuss one more idea, experience, recipe or tip, I must first give credit where credit is due.

It is without hesitation that I can say I would not be the tightwad I am today without the lifelong influence of my father. My Dad lived a life of poverty that few Americans can relate to today. A life where things like shoes and food were cherished and sometimes gone without. As a Baby Boomer and not a child of the depression, his experience was not shared by everyone of his generation and it absolutely laid a foundation for him to look at money and possessions through appreciative and conflicted eyes. My Dad lived an extraordinary life by becoming ordinary. He went on to get a college degree, become a teacher, marry an amazing woman, raise two daughters, buy a home, save for a rainy day, travel and have all the things that most people take for granted. He was, however, as I have mentioned before, the cheapest human on earth. He would never part with a dime without first considering where and why he was spending it, but he also taught me to reward myself and to make time and money for things that would bring me joy. He loved to haggle, loved to fix things, loved to learn and generally loved life. I often feel like it is unfair that he only got to spend 59 years on this earth, but then I remember that he lived all of those years to the fullest and that he went further in that time than most people ever will. That where he ended up from where he started out was a miraculous journey and I am so fortunate to be his legacy.

In our family, we have come to say "WWDD",What Would Dad Do?, when making decisions in regards to money. My sister is currently car shopping and updated her Facebook Status by saying the she was trying to channel Dad while at the dealership. We all do. We are all trying to "channel" him. Now, more than ever, in these trying financial times, I find myself longing for his input and advice and drawing upon the wisdom he imparted while he was here. So, without further ado, Thanks Dad. I pinch every penny for you.

As I stood on the edge of adulthood, another great saver, and quite often savior, came into my life. One of the very first things I ever knew about my husband was "It is all about Nana". Nana. Just speaking the word makes me feel warm and loved. When I first started dating David, he would often interrupt our visits to take a phone call from his #1 girl, his paternal grandmother. What 19 year old boy passes up time with a chic he is trying to whoo to chat it up with a 70 something year old woman? One with a grandmother like Nana. The youngest of nine children in a 100% Italian family, she was the kind of woman who valued family above all else and I was so very fortunate to become part of her inner circle. When my own grandmother passed away just eleven days after our wedding, Nana seamlessly stepped into my life and became one of the best friends I had ever known. Countless phone calls to Florida in the early days of our marriage guided me along my journey into domestic life. Nana taught me that cooking and caring for the people in your life is one of the best ways to show your love for them. She never tired of my questions on "how to" this and "what's the best way" that. She made no bones about the fact that David was her numero uno and when our son, Noah, was born he became the newest apple of her eye. She would ask when his check ups were months in advance, write them down on her calendar, and call the day of to see how much he had grown. She was a great one for sending cards and buying savings bonds. Her experience of growing up in a large, immigrant family and then raising her own two sons on an tight budget had taught her everything she needed to know about managing a household. Nana's house was the absolute best vacation spot. To say it was clean would be the understatement of the century. It was perfect, with the same knick knacks and decor it had probably had since the 1960's. To see her at her absolute best was to watch her in her kitchen. She moved slowly and purposefully. Never rushing, spilling or letting dishes pile up the way I do. She always had jello in her fridge, coffee in the pot and something simmering on the stove.

When our second child was born a girl, it was preordained that she would be Nana's namesake and when Josephine was two months old, we decided to make the long drive to Florida to make this most important of introductions.  Nana (Josephine the first on the right) invited over her gal pal (also Josephine) and we got this shot of a trio of Josephine's. We did not know then how precious this moment would become. We spent the next few days letting Nana buy our baby girl outfits, play with Noah, hug David and cook a great big meal for all of her great-grandchildren. Then, the next day, she slipped away. Having done all the things she most wanted to do, she let go and left us all with the saddest of hearts and the happiest of memories. Hardly a day goes by when I don't wish I could call her to ask for zillionth time how to cook gizzards or get oil stains out of undershirts, but we have muddled through and I know she would be so proud of the home we have made. OK, so she would be appalled at how backed up on laundry I am or how infrequently I vacuum, but she would love us all the same and would probably just take care of it while I was in the shower.
So to the two people from whom I learned the most about scrimping, saving, working, loving and living this wonderful, frugal life, I tell you that I love you and miss you and thank you for giving me this