Piggy Banks and Savings Books

When I was growing up in the mid-fifties, Mom saved several kinds of stamps that we pasted into a book. When the books were filled and she had enough to redeem the item she was saving for, off we went to the big city. Whether she was saving green stamps, gold stamps, or any other stamps of the times, the trip to store were always exciting.

We also received money for birthdays and Christmas. Sometimes only a dollar or two, other times as much as five, ten or even twenty dollars. We always trekked to the bank with our cash and placed it in our savings account. We each had our own savings book, and kept accurate account of the deposit and total. Long after the account was closed, likely used for college, the bank book remained as a reminder of those days.

Now that we are in a recession, with some pundits predicting a depression, those memories of saving money and stamps are reminders that saving money is a smart, practical practice. Even bringing back the piggy bank - yes, we each had one of those too - or the change jar my dad still keeps on his dresser, are ways to have spare cash around the house when you have a need.

As you tuck away a few dollars here and there, it is surprising how often you accumulate more than you expect.

Another savings trick my mother used was to place any extra money in a separate savings account. In fact, she kept a "secret" savings account from my dad, who was more likely to spend than would Mom. When she saved enough to purchase what she wanted, she took pleasure in her trip to the appropriate store. One of her greatest thrills was the china cabinet that she purchased from loose change and extra money she made from baking and decorating cakes.

For some reason the items people purchase after they have scrimped and saved, seem to have a greater value than those they can instantly buy with a credit card. Mom did have her season of using credit cards, but her most cherished memories came from the save-up-ahead-of-time approach.

Do you have a favorite treasure in your house that you purchased by saving ahead of time? What are you saving for now?

Photo by A Sattler at Creative Commons at Flickr