Remember when your Grandma gave you two dollars ? That was a lot of money back then. You hear about it all the time, how much a dollar used to be worth. It is true, the buying power of a dollar bill certainly has changed since we were children. If you are twenty or so you know what I mean. If you have reached my age, it is downright shocking. How can that happen ? A candy bar goes from a nickel to 95 cents ! And to make matters worse, the candy bar is even smaller. Therein lies the problem, I remember all too well what used to be.
Now I would like to explain to some of these younger folks about this stuff. When Grandpa, or any other " mature " citizen gives a monetary gift the value of that gift must be prorated. If you are say ten years old, ten dollars ought to do it. You see, when I was ten, ten dollars was a lot of money. For a ten year old it will always be so in my mind. So it is not that Grandpa is cheap is just that you are receiving 1963 money. Understand what I mean ? When I was fifteen I got a hundred dollar bill, for Christmas, from a wealthy aunt. It was extraordinary ! Even my parents were jealous of that. That was in 1968. Today you would be receiving six hundred and sixty six dollars. The point being that is how I view this dollar thing. All of us old people do. It is not my fault the buying power hasn't endured.
That may be one of the reasons I hate giving gift cards. The monetary value is right there. No mistaking what it is. If I purchase something you don't know if I got it on clearance or some special deal. Hey, not that I have done it but it could be a regift ! It is not that we senior folks aren't aware of the changing value of a dollar, we are keenly aware, but we have gained an understanding. You can do with a lot less than you think. It is wisdom we wish to pass on. When we gift you with handmade items we do that to show true value. It is a gift of time, my time, and I don't have a lot of it ! Time is money ! Money may change in value but time is a constant. The less you have of it the more valuable it becomes. Supply and demand kids, supply and demand.
I have never been one to crave money. I have " made " it because it is necessary. I like money, don't misunderstand me, I like it a lot. It is not something I hoard.. It comes and goes. Wish more of it had hung around though. I am simply astounded sometimes at the cost of things. I have a flip phone, good enough for me and all I need. The grandkids have I phone 6 something or other and when I saw the cost of that I almost fainted. OMG, for a phone ? For a kid ? When I was their age the closet thing I had to a phone was two tin cans and a string ! Got walkie-talkies for Christmas once. For what those phones cost I could have bought the phone company.
The point I am trying to make here is simple. It is all relative. If I give you twenty bucks that is a days work. I remember when a hundred a week, take home pay, was pretty darn good. Of course I remember getting paid, in cash, with your withholdings written on the envelope. A few folks, rich ones or wanna bes' , had a credit card. Diners Club and American Express where the bomb. Before that it was only the oil companies that issued them much. Cash was king. Old folks give old money is the lesson here. Old money is better. That's my explanation and I'm sticking with it.
Now I would like to explain to some of these younger folks about this stuff. When Grandpa, or any other " mature " citizen gives a monetary gift the value of that gift must be prorated. If you are say ten years old, ten dollars ought to do it. You see, when I was ten, ten dollars was a lot of money. For a ten year old it will always be so in my mind. So it is not that Grandpa is cheap is just that you are receiving 1963 money. Understand what I mean ? When I was fifteen I got a hundred dollar bill, for Christmas, from a wealthy aunt. It was extraordinary ! Even my parents were jealous of that. That was in 1968. Today you would be receiving six hundred and sixty six dollars. The point being that is how I view this dollar thing. All of us old people do. It is not my fault the buying power hasn't endured.
That may be one of the reasons I hate giving gift cards. The monetary value is right there. No mistaking what it is. If I purchase something you don't know if I got it on clearance or some special deal. Hey, not that I have done it but it could be a regift ! It is not that we senior folks aren't aware of the changing value of a dollar, we are keenly aware, but we have gained an understanding. You can do with a lot less than you think. It is wisdom we wish to pass on. When we gift you with handmade items we do that to show true value. It is a gift of time, my time, and I don't have a lot of it ! Time is money ! Money may change in value but time is a constant. The less you have of it the more valuable it becomes. Supply and demand kids, supply and demand.
I have never been one to crave money. I have " made " it because it is necessary. I like money, don't misunderstand me, I like it a lot. It is not something I hoard.. It comes and goes. Wish more of it had hung around though. I am simply astounded sometimes at the cost of things. I have a flip phone, good enough for me and all I need. The grandkids have I phone 6 something or other and when I saw the cost of that I almost fainted. OMG, for a phone ? For a kid ? When I was their age the closet thing I had to a phone was two tin cans and a string ! Got walkie-talkies for Christmas once. For what those phones cost I could have bought the phone company.
The point I am trying to make here is simple. It is all relative. If I give you twenty bucks that is a days work. I remember when a hundred a week, take home pay, was pretty darn good. Of course I remember getting paid, in cash, with your withholdings written on the envelope. A few folks, rich ones or wanna bes' , had a credit card. Diners Club and American Express where the bomb. Before that it was only the oil companies that issued them much. Cash was king. Old folks give old money is the lesson here. Old money is better. That's my explanation and I'm sticking with it.
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