“Go out in the world and work like money doesn't matter, Sing as if no one is listening, Love as if you have never been hurt, and Dance as if no one is watching”

Oh how I would like to live as if the title quote were true, specifically in money matters.  The only interest I have in money matters is enough to not overdraft my bank account.  And to a certain extent because of Keith I'm able to live like that.  But all that has come to a screeching halt because we have kids we need to teach about money.

So we instituted a money learning system.  The best way to learn how to deal with money is to deal with money, Right?.  So we pay the kids for their Saturday work.  We don't pay for chores as there is a certain amount of work you need to do just to be a part of a family, to live.  I don't get paid for washing dinner dishes and we believe it is teaching kids the wrong thing to pay them to.

Anyway, we pay them generously (“If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.”--John Goldsmith).  And we work them hard. LOL  We weed (that which is desperate and doesn't get done in morning chore during the week-- weeding is not easy here-- especially when you have let it go (strawberries) for over a year and have weeds like scotchbroom and blackberries), weed-eat the jungle that we call the North 40 and rake, split and stack wood, deep clean the house, including walls and windows, dig holes, ect.  Whatever needs to be done.

With the money they earn they have to pay tithing first and foremost.  Then they have to pay themselves-- savings.  Then the money goes to clothing budget.  Then whatever is left over is money to spend.  To me this seems quite harsh, but in reality as adults there really is only a little money left to spend how we want to after bills and other necessities.

And about the clothing budget.  We have been having a lot of trouble with kids not taking care of their clothes.  Not picking them up and sliding down the hill on knees, sure, but a couple of the girls actually took scissors and cut holes in the knees of their brand new pants.  So we figured if they bought the clothes themselves they would be more apt to take care of them.

I have actually had a fun time taking them shopping and trying to teach them the principles of handling money.  This is for quite a few reasons.  I don't have to say "no,"  is the biggest.  We did a lot of talking about ways to save money ("A penny saved is a penny earned" -- Benjamin Franklin ect) and deciding before hand what you want to buy, ect.  So, all I have to do when they ask to buy something is say "do you want this instead of the #1 thing on your list?" or "Do you want to get this instead of getting the fancy lunchbox?' or something along those lines.  For the most part they have done pretty well at making good choices.  In fact, a couple of the girls have been able to get several pairs of shoes (we usually only bought them a pair of tennis shoes for school) and even extras like boots, hats, sun glasses, scarves and gloves (we only required that they buy a coat). 

One girl, however, walks in the store (any store) and dollar signs appear in her eyes, and you can hear a faint "cha ching" coming from somewhere.  This same girl ended up with 2 pairs of pants and 25 shirts, despite the many conversations of how many of each she had/ needed (we required that they each have 8 pairs of school pants and 12 shirts--- the four oldest girls literally started with next to nothing-- that is how well they took care of last year's clothes... To be fair some of those they grew out of, but most were worn out/ stained/ or torn).

Caleb and Jonas have it pretty easy.  They have most everything they need.  They did need to get socks and underwear, Caleb needed a jacket.  But they were pretty set for school.  However, both of them needed a new suit for church.  Luckily, we were able to find one at Value Village (the local thrift store-- DI is definately NOT local here), brand new looking for both of them for about $20.  I guess in the "Mission Field" church clothes aren't used so much. :)

That is where we have done most of our shopping, at Value Village (with the exeption of school supplies- backpacks, lunchboxes-- socks, underwear and some shoes).  They have pretty high quality items and on Mondays and Thursdays they have a certain tag color that is only $1.  Nearly ALL of Kristina's clothes were purchased for $1.  We were just very strict about not getting any that were dirty/stained, had holes or had parts (zippers, buttons ect) that didn't work or were missing.  And as always they had to pass the "can I see your belly button when your arms are up?" test.

I overheard one of the girls telling her friend that "we have to earn our own money for clothes as Mom and Dad don't have enough for all the kids."  That made me laugh as it all comes from the same coffers.

But overall a positive experience that I hope that they will take with them to adulthood. Even Ryah is learning that if you don't work you don't get the reward of spending the money.  And I survived taking 8 kids shopping, multiple times. 

But the most rewarding response came from Caleb the other night.  He came to Keith and I and said "I took good care of my clothes, I worked hard and now I have some money sitting in my clothing budget for when I need something.  Can I buy a watch with some?"  Yes, Caleb that is exactly what we are talking about this whole time.  That is what the money is for, use it when you need it, save it when you don't for a time when you do.  You need a watch (his got broken) and now you have the money saved up to buy a watch. 

AND......

And, the best part is, you get to spend some time with Dad to go out shopping for one.

Now if all parenting worked out so well and was so rewarding then we'd be in Utopia.


Some quotes that I found about money:

The art is not making money, it is keeping it.

The Real Measure of Wealth is How much you are worth if you lost all your money.

He who knows how to be poor knows everything. - Michelet

I'd like to live as a poor man with lots of money. - Pablo Picasso

Acting rich keeps a man poor, acting poor makes a man rich.

Never invest your money in anything that eats or needs repairing. - Billy Rose

With money in you pocket, you are wise and you are handsome and you sing well, too. - Yiddish Proverb

A fool and his money are easily parted.--Proverb

No man's credit is ever as good as his money.--Edgar Watson Howe

If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.--Benjamin Franklin

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pound ought and six, result misery. --Charles Dickens: David Copperfield.

I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.--Jackie Mason

A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart. --Jonathan Swift

The easiest way for your children to learn about money is for you not to have any. --Katharine Whitehorn

The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket. --Kin Hubbard

Never spend your money before you have it.-- Thomas Jefferson