So and So’s mom..

My 10 year old came home from school the other day upset because some kid was making fun of me.  “He called you cheap, mom”.   When I asked him why I was cheap, he said it was because I use coupons.  I laughed it off, because being ‘cheap’ doesn’t normally come from a child, but his mother.

I’ve always been thrifty, as you have probably guessed.  My philosophy is ‘why pay more than you have to?’.  So and So’s mom (or step-mom) falls  into the category of ‘the morons that pay the inflated price for everything that is designed by marketing to offset the discounted price that I pay’.  She is also a member of the ‘Daycare raises my children because I had to take a part-time minimum wage job to pay for my shopping habits’.  Oh- don’t forget the ‘our date night consists of McDonald’s and the dollar movies’ club.

What we save on some purchases is definitely used to splurge on others.  Real cheapskates would not do that.  Sure, I like to buy things at a discount so that I can afford those things that do not come at a deep discount (however few and far between they may be).  This is where sensibility comes into play.  So and So’s mom may just spend an extra $50 a week on groceries, amounting to $2600 per year.  Just think what you would do (or how many chicken mcnuggets) with $2600 a year.

While shopping sensibly, I am able to stay home with my children.  I am also able to work in a career that I am extremely passionate about- helping others achieve savings sensibly that will allow for a more full life.  I realize that the quality of life is not better because of material things.  However, I do believe that the quality of life is directly tied to your mindset and financial stability.  Finances are the #1 cause of stress in this country.  When invested in the right manner, that $50 a week saved (on anything) would amount well over  $1 million over the course of 45 years.

See, my sensible living will net me the best of all worlds.  I have no financial stress, spend my time doing fun and memorable things with my family, work in a career that inspires people on a daily basis, and watch my rewards grow and grow.  The best part?  My success is funded by So and So’s mom’s willingness to pay full price for EVERYTHING, including the horrendous knock-off faux giraffe purse she carries.

**Waves to So and So’s mom!  I saw your name on the subscription list- thanks for reading!  I hope that used swimsuit you bought at my garage sale last summer fits you well.

***As a disclaimer, I would like to remind everyone that I do, at times, employ creative writing on this  blog.  While the first paragraph spurred the rest of the story, no single person is described.  So and So’s mom is a fictitious character that will be reappearing in several upcoming posts.  Each story is set to be based on a real problem that Sensible Shoppers face as a society.  All reactions and details are made up by my overly exaggerated imagination.