Lately I have been thinking about growing up in my family. I think it is because I am getting to know another family and because I am thinking about starting my own. I am also thinking about this because I am feeling a little bad because this recession hasn't hit me as bad as it has other people.
I didn't grow up poor. I grew up in a neighborhood full of poor people so I never would say that. However, we never had money. My dad worked in a steel plant until the recession in the 80s and then went back to school to be a surveyor when he was 35. My mom did accounts payable on and off as we needed money but her heart was really in staying home. When my dad went back to school my dad's parents covered a lot of expenses so for two years my parents didn't buy anything other than food and necessities.
My parents never had any money to hire people to do work on their house or cars so they taught themselves to do it. I remember going to the library with one of my parents to figure out how to repair something in their car or to check out books on how to fix something in the house. We were all expected to help with fixing things because it made it easier. One year, the day before Thanksgiving, the 20 year old stove in my parents kitchen stopped working. My dad spent half the night tearing the stove apart to replace the thermostat. I sat next to him handing him tools while I read a book.
My mom would spend most of her time working on the house or refinishing furniture. She would see a ratty old chair by a dumpster and we would drag it home, she would recover it and then sell it to someone. A couple times a week she would end up feeding most of the neighborhood children. She would also make tons of apple butter and boysenberry jam from the trees around here.
This childhood shaped me. First, I would rather do without than buy something. So I am having a hard time thinking about buying a car, either new or used (It was the same way with the car I own now). Second, I always picked the job that paid more money. I like programming but I am not going to deny that the money wasn't the reason I picked it over History. Third, I learned at a young age that if you can live with a mess doing it yourself isn't that hard, it just takes time and patience.*
*Did you know I didn't have anything in my kitchen for a year? I didn't have any money and I didn't want to put the parts on my CC so I saved up enough for the fridge, bought it. Saved up enough for the stove, bought it, saved up enough for the sink cabinet, bought it and then installed those. It took me another 2 years to get the rest of the cabinets.
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