From the difficulties encountered in life, one can always learn. On the contrary, living in comfort is said to be the death of creativity and the triumph of laziness. Although many prefer the risk of falling into laziness to the prospect of having to face difficulties, it is undeniable that when one finds oneself in less than ideal situations, it becomes natural to strive to get out of them in the best possible way. For this reason, those who grow up in poverty develop an incredible ability to save, even thinking of ingenious ways to avoid spending that extra penny.
Saving, then, can really make a difference. Elana recounts in an article from Business Insider, of being raised by a particularly frugal father, but this experience has helped her significantly: thanks to his advice, learned over the years, she managed to buy two houses with a teacher's salary.
Mother's bonus, Serena, two children: «For me only 30 euros more in my paycheck»
The father's advice
«He grew up during the Great Depression, the son of immigrant parents, so he learned the value of money early on - writes Elana - and he taught it to his children. Following in his footsteps has allowed me to buy two houses and a new car with a teacher's salary. How did I do it? Simple, I took an example from my father».
What she learned, however, is not so much individual "tricks", but more a way of thinking. For example, the woman admits she has never ordered a pizza delivery, so as not to have to pay the possible tip to the delivery person: «There was always someone (usually me) who would walk to go get the food. It might seem like a detail, but I started paying attention to money early on and the principle is that if you can do something yourself, then you don't have to pay someone else to do it for you».
While Elana's friends, during their college years, used credit cards for every purchase and indulged in all their desires, she was busy with one or two part-time jobs and preferred cash when possible to keep expenses under better control. Yet, she does not give up on her passions: «I love traveling and, since I'm a teacher, I have the summers free. From South America to safaris in Africa, I have no limits on destinations. However, instead of luxury hotels, I choose hostels and homestays, and maybe, I take care of the cat to pay less. I spend hours on the web looking for the most affordable price. I have never felt that I was missing something and, in this way, I am more in touch with the local population».
The two houses
Elana has never been in debt and after saving for five years, she managed to set aside enough money for a house. Despite the benefits, the woman admits that sometimes her father was excessive: «Sometimes we died of heat in the summer or we stayed in cheap motels and my mom said that his frugality was a good deal, and it is. You see his face light up when he gets something for free or at a good price. I'm the same, but every now and then I like to treat myself».
After Covid, Elana managed to buy another, smaller house in New York: «I carefully used the money saved, I took second-hand but reliable furniture. I'm not very handy, but when possible I cut costs by building, painting, and doing DIY in the backyard. Many would have immediately dedicated themselves to renovation, I took the longer road but I learned that being creative is more fun than choosing from a catalog».
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