Don't Be Scared

Do you ever become fearful that if anyone knew your thoughts they'd think you were crazy? I had one of those times a few days ago. When I was a little girl, I was given what I needed and a few of what I wanted but there weren't many funds there to be frivolous. I remember when Mama would ask me what I wanted, when given a choice, that I would ask in return, "which one is cheaper?" or "how much is it?". I  don't know where that came from....or still comes from today.

When I was grown and was making my own money, I loosened up for a few years. I would buy a cream cheese danish and chips from the snack machine for breakfast and buy a Big Mac combo from McDonald's almost every day. I deserved it, right? After all, I worked hard! Our bills were being paid!

Then I had a co-worker of whom I noticed brought her lunch every day. She did not buy from snack machines. She worked hard. She deserved it. Her bills....she had no bills.

One day I was watching Phil Donahue on television and there was this lady on there who wrote the book The Tightwad Gazette . I was amazed at this family and what all they saved on....and at that, with SIX children! Amy, the author, instantly became my hero. I read the book with zeal and feel I could have aced a test if given one. Then there were volumes II and III that came out. Then there was the complete edition... Life was changed.

Anyway, back to my my thoughts and being what could be called as crazy. I was standing at the sink, filling a pot to simmer tea on the stove. I turned the water off and paused. I was thinking, "would it be cheaper to begin heating this water from the faucet or to fill the pot with cold water and heat completely on the stove." I had to call our resident expert on this, AKA my husband. He went over the process of BTUs and in the end gave me an answer. It's cheaper to heat on the stove.

You see, my mind does not stop with this. It's constant....does it take more energy for a ceiling fan to run with dust on it? Oh, and make sure to wipe down the light bulbs because they will be brighter and we'll get our money's worth out of the bulbs. Should we flip breakers at the box at night before going to bed to save on the electric bill? It is a part of me....it is who I am.

So, please, don't think I'm crazy. It's just who I am. No one is perfect, and I am not a perfect tightwad. I still make money mistakes. So, yeah, I am not so crazy. :D