Savings for what you want and the candy tin

When I was young my parents didn't have a lot of money.  I am sure my family was not unique.

We didn't go on a lot of vacations.

At one point, my Mom hadn't seen her family in years.  Somehow, Dad did save enough money for us all to fly to California to visit my grandparents.

Another year, we went on a weeks vacation to a farm in the Catskills with the Raboni side of the family. Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins spending time together.

There were a few trips with a large tent and six sleeping bags.

Including a summer long trip across the country (once again to visit my grandparents). 

Knowing now that there was not a lot of expendable cash, I often wonder how Dad managed to pull it off (many of these trip were in the pre-credit card days).

Where now I have a "cookie jar account" at a local credit union.

Dad had a Barton's Candy Tin.

When he wanted to take us all to the World's Fair back in 1964-1965, he taped an index card to the tin.  The words WORLD'S FAIR FUND were written on the index card.

Each day he would throw his loose change in the tin.  It took about a year but on July 5th  1965, we finally made our way to the fair.

When Jenn was small, I followed dad's example and labeled a candy tin "FLORIDA FUND".  We saved for almost two years so Bob and I could take Jenn to Disney World.  I feel unAmerican in saying it was my only trip to Disney World.

Around 8 years ago, I opened the cookie jar account with a small amount of the money Mom left us when she passed away.

The cookie jar account has taken us to a couple of family reunions, a Jersey Shore reunion and on a rare occasion has helped out with an unexpected bill or two.  I would replace the money borrowed for non-travel events as quickly as I could.

It has paid to renew my passport in case some day I need one.  Just having a passport makes me feel like I can be impulsive and plan a trip out of the country without much notice.  Knowing me, small chance of that happening.

I have gotten by in the world of lay-a-ways squirreling away a few dollars at a time.

Or a cookie jar account.

Or by using a old empty candy tin.

See you next week.

PS1 This week's do something for someone else was buying a couple of boxes of Girl Scout cookies for the troops.

PS2  One interesting note- At the New York World's Fair there was a rotating restaurant. I think (I am not 100% sure) it was called Top of the Fair.  When the Fair was over the restaurant was disassembled and moved to Columbia, South Carolina. It was reassembled on top of one of the dorms at University of South Carolina.  I have been to brunch there a few times.  It takes one hour for the restaurant to do a full rotation and I enjoy the continually changing view.

Small world when you think I saw it as a child in Queens, NY and then ending up eating at it in Columbia, SC.