Mortgage Crisis? What Mortgage Crisis?

All this talk of bailouts and credit crunch is driving me crazy - and I am not even a Republican! It must have been drilled into me as a kid "Work hard - save your money - live within you means."

Until last spring I worked since I was fourteen years old. True, I was fortunate that my dad helped me get my first job, at the church office across the street. I answered phones, light office work and did my homework when things got quiet. I worked three hours an evening - for a smacking $2.00 an hour. It was enough to build my savings account to pay for my private high school tuition. When I was sixteen I worked in a hospital kitchen earning double minimum wage. Thinking back, I am amazed at the responsibility I had, moving from cooks helper to dietitian's assistant and even kosher cook (that always astounded me as I was Catholic then!) Through college I had more interesting employment with jobs related to my profession, working at the Bell Museum of Natural History, Eddie Bauer, and as a Botany Teaching Assistant - sometimes all three at once! I paid for every penny of my college education - no debt. Upon graduation I had $1000 saved and I lived of that as I volunteered to do wildlife research for a year. Simple things made me happy - back then I felt as though I was rich if I could afford to buy mushrooms when I went grocery shopping. The volunteer work boosted my resume' and I was fortunate to get my dream job as a Wildlife Biologist for the US Forest Service.

When I got married my father again gave me financial support (in advice not cash) and suggested we live off one paycheck and save the other, at least until we had kids. That we did, which was fortunate because when I became a widow at 35, financially I could make ends meet. In time, I even paid off my mortgage. I have never liked credit - I prefer debit cards over credit cards. I am not quite into stuffing cash in the mattress, but if you haven't earned it I can't fathom wanting it. It's basic math in my mind.

Not that I don't squirm a bit - I retired in May and my investments have taken the same nose dive as everyone else. I also know not everyone is fortunate enough to even have investments to loose. I fear that as Americans we have and want to much. We expect so everything right now so we reach beyond our means and fool ourselves into believing that something is there when it isn't. It's better to live simpler and within our means. Thanks dad.