“The philosophy which affects to teach us a contempt of money does not run very deep.” –Taylor.
ONE of the most common and most serious leaks in the purse of the average person is money spent on friends, distant relatives or acquaintances.
There are many people who will permit you to pay the carfare or the admission or the luncheon check or the soda check without a qualm.
It has become a fine art with some people to let others, who are more liberally disposed, pay many of their incidental expenses.
“There is a man in our town who almost always takes a taxi, even when going but a few blocks, if some one else is with him to pay the fare. He is never seen to take a taxi when alone nor was he ever known to pay the fare when with others.”
Too many of us have permitted a “contempt of money” to grow up within us and a particular contempt for small amounts–say, less than a dollar.
A carfare more or less each day, a taxi fare every week or so, a luncheon check for some one else twice a month or three or four movie tickets a week–what do they amount to? They amount to over $50,000 in the average lifetime of a man. Just a carfare a day, a taxi a week, a luncheon twice a month and a few movie tickets–there’s $50,000 handed out without hope of return in the normal lifetime of a man.
The figures seem pretty strong because they are added together and the interest on the total is compounded. Perhaps you do not do all of these things. It may be that you do only one of them but even one of them means hundreds or thousands of dollars in a few years.
There is nothing more despicable than a penurious or stingy person but there is nothing more foolish than sowing nickels, dimes and dollars among new acquaintances who only laugh at your folly.
The man who really has money, who has learned to save money and who knows by hard knocks what money is worth does not spend it that way.
It is the man with only a few dollars in his pocket, who is most given to tossing them around, because the man with a few thousands has learned to keep them.
It is the really rich, who husband their resources. Many of them have grown rich through the wisdom of knowing when it is proper that they should pay.
A young person being placed in the position of host or entertainer or even companion to an older person of wealth or position is likely to overdo the matter in his effort at entertainment.
Many people, who can ill-afford the expense, repeatedly and persistently insist upon paying the way for the little party of which they happen to be a member. And the others let them pay.
The frequent display of money and of offers to pay everything is not an indication of either wealth or liberality but rather is merely a vulgar display and indicates, to people of seasoned wealth, that the free-handed one has not yet become accustomed to handling money.
To the average American boy or young man no better counsel can be given than–”Keep your hands out of your pockets and your money in the bank.”
It was Emerson who said “A man passes for what he is worth.” He might have added–and not for what he appears to be worth by the money he throws away.
Suppose we let the other fellow pay his own way for a while and watch our own money accumulate. Let us particularly quit buying for chance acquaintances, distant relatives or even friends, things which they do not need and, perhaps, which they do not even want.
It is not necessary to overdo the thing and be called stingy or a “sponger,” but we can decide that from today on, no one shall “sponge” on us.
In this particular we may well emulate the rich who are always thrifty for if they were not thrifty they would not long be rich.
Emerson said another thing which contains much food for serious reflection:
“The English are prosperous and peaceful, with their habits of considering that every man must take care of himself, and has himself to thank, if he does not maintain and improve his position in society.” –Emerson.