My grandfather, of whom I previously spoke, has always been someone who I looked up to. What he exhibited in terms of values really affected me. I, like him, am someone who values books, all things related to learning, and I do not worry a lot about material posessions and in that realm, clothes.

That being said, my grandfather often walks the beach and will keep things he finds washed up on the shore. He finds cool cups (Koozies is the new term, I believe), interesting, artistic driftwood, hats, and tee-shirts. With the hats and shirts, he soaks them in a tub of a bleach/water solution for a few days, runs through the washer and wears them. I used to wonder why he didn’t just buy this stuff, knowing full well that he had been very good with his money in all his years of Naval and RCA company service and was very very well-off. (At one point, he was valued at just under 4 mil. I think). My parents told me he wasn’t cheap, but frugal and smart. However, he does know when money is important to use. My sister and I have been actively spending our inheritence for some time. He wanted to see us utilize his gains instead of waiting until he passed to give it to us.

So from him I have molded myself into someone who values a dollar but knows when to save and when to spend, and I don’t put too much stock into other peoples’ opinions when it comes to doing something frugal, like utilizing a used item. Call it recylcing. There’s nothing wrong with wearing a trucker’s cap that says “Leroy’s Bait and Tackle” if it suits his purpose.
I will always keep an eye out for change – every year my grandfather collects change from his 8 mile daily bike rides (he checks phone recepticals and the lint depoistory on the back of gas station vaccuums; you’d be amazed how much coinage goes in there!) and adds it to a jar. At the end of the year, our family takes guesses as to the amount in the jar and whoever comes closest within a dollar, without going over, wins the pot. If no one wins, my grandfather keeps it. The year I won, it was almost sixty dollars.

I am thankful that I had him as a role model and I am very lucky to still have grandparents alive and who have helped me grow into the adult I am today.

(That was cheesy but I was feeling very emotional about it.)