My son is on to me. He has figured out why I always want to know what he is ordering before I make my decision when we are at a restaurant, whether it's fast food or sit down.
The reason this makes a difference is because I have no income at present so he is paying when I go out to dinner with him. I always want to make sure I don't order anything more expensive than the person who is paying.
The reason for this is clear to me. My parents were nearing 40 when I was born. Their teenage years fell during the great depression and their frugality is firmly embedded in my habits. There are just some things one doesn't do. One doesn't impose one's tastes on others. One doesn't take advantage of other people's generousity.
Back when I was raising 5 kids on next to nothing, I would become phyically ill if I had to spend more than a little bit of money at one time. I've had a friend think that I was going to pass out when I had to pay over $200 for school supplies for myself (in college) and my kids. She said I turned white then green. On the flip side, I can think of times when my husband lost a job and we decided to "go down in a blaze of glory" by throwing a BBQ for our friends.
Don't get me wrong. I have learned how to spend money and enjoy it, but when times are tight my friends claim that old George and his presidential brethern have to put on sunglasses when I spend money, because they don't see the light of day very often once I get hold of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment