In Which We Speak of Monetary Matters

[Buster's Uncle]

throwing money at problems is always a last resort.  That's why I tend to HAVE money when it does come to last resorts.

See, Bank of Dad used to give these personal finance seminars as part of their customer service - actually, more lectures; the President of the Bank was an ungodly sharp fellow -who knew he was smart- with an uncomplex philosophy about personal finances, and who didn't mind repeating himself until the lesson got through - or you judged it safe to flee the room in terror.

Money is armor against a hard world, if you keep it close.  Nickel and dime, nickel and dime, nickel and dime ALL the small stuff ALWAYS - so when you get in a wreck and get laid up for six months, the hard world can't swoop in and take everything.  It does happen.  -Also, so you can afford to woop it up on vacation, within reason.  Broke legs and vacations -semi-modest ones within reason, nothing like four times a year- is what that money is FOR.

It is hard for me to understand most people, always, because this is the ocean I was born swimming in, when it comes to money, and 95% of USican are freakin' aliens to me when it comes to parsimony and savings.  Have a little doggon self control.  Foreigners are almost always a lot better; even first-world western Europeans aren't nearly so spoiled, mostly.  Latino immigrants, I've noticed - THOSE folks know how to make a penny scream as it dies, and I approve of them.

You never know when you might wake up without a refrigerator.