Lesson 3

I am a coupon freak. I have a system, I sometimes save as much as $100 on a single trip to the store. I'm always looking for a deal. Deals make the world go around. One day, you'll be in charge of your own money and you'll need these skills. Your grandpa (Dad's Dad) is famous for going dumpster diving, spending hours working on something, and then telling the 2 hour story how he saved himself $10. (Ask your grandma how many dish racks she has :) ) Which brings me to lesson 3.

Know when to spend money and when to save it. Doing your own oil changes and car maintenance will save you a LOT of money, so will knowing how to fix things like a washer or dryer, and doing house projects on your own. However, there are times when you should spend money. One day, you might have your own home. If you can afford it, pay for a lawn service. Yes, you can do the work yourself, but if you pay for a service, you don't have to make the time to do the work, you don't have to work in the heat, and you won't have to buy the lawn equipment. School books, buy used, don't try to avoid buying them. Don't dig in neighbor's trash looking for an old VCR (that's an ancient form of entertainment that played movies at home) only to spend more in time and money to get it working. Use coupons when you have them, but never on a first date (same goes for gift cards.) Do your homework on big items, find the best buy for your buck. Don't just assume a cheaper version is going to be just as good, and don't assume that a more expensive item is better. Don't avoid thrift stores and garage sales. The best sewing machine I've ever owned came from a garage sale for $20 and that included a work table. (Just don't buy used underwear.) Learn the value of your buck early, and you'll never regret it.