The Pleasure of Walking Tall (An Inspiration to Save Money (as published in the St. Petersburg Times, May 13, 1969)
- Your savings, believe it or not, affect the way you stand, the way you walk, the tone of your voice — in short, your physical well-being and self-confidence.
- A person without savings is always running. They must. They must take the first job offered, or nearly so. They sit nervously on life’s chair because any small emergency throws them into the hands of others.
- Without savings, a person must be too grateful—seemingly desperate. Gratitude is a fine thing in its place, but a constant state of gratitude from desperation is a horrible place in which to live.
- A person with savings can walk tall. They may appraise opportunities in a relaxed way, have time for judicious estimates, and not be rushed by economic necessity.
- A person with savings can afford to resign from their job if their principles so dictate. And for this reason, they’ll never need to do so. A person who can afford to quit is much more useful to their company, and therefore more promotable. He or she can afford to give their company the benefits of their most candid judgments.
- A person always concerned about necessities, such as food and rent, can’t afford to think in long-range career terms. They must dart to the most immediate opportunity for ready cash. Without savings, they will spend a lifetime of darting and dodging.
- A person with savings can afford the wonderful privilege of being generous in family or neighborhood emergencies. They can take a level stare into the eyes of any person…friend, stranger, or enemy. It shapes their personality and character.
- The ability to save has nothing to do with the size of income. Many high-income people, who spend it all, are on a treadmill, darting through life like minnows.
- The dean of American bankers, J.P. Morgan, once advised a young broker, “Take waste out of your spending; you’ll drive the haste out of your life.”
- Will Rogers put it this way, “I’d rather have the company of a janitor, living on what he earned last year…than an actor spending what he’ll earn next year.”
If you don’t need the money for college, a home, or retirement, then save for self-confidence. The state of your savings does have a lot to do with how tall you walk.
Reflection:
Just a few weeks ago, I asked my BIL to help me canvass for a new laptop that I needed for blogging in The Thrifty Pinay and a side hustle I’m currently working on. Being the smart “techie” person that he is, he showed me a list of the best laptops suitable for my budget. The very next day, I asked again the favor of buying the laptop for me and paying him in return. And then and there, the laptop was in my hands like a flash! There wasn’t a need for swiping any credit cards, taking out a loan, or waiting for several months to come up with savings just to buy a laptop. See the beauty of having your savings?
In a different scenario, my husband and I have been longing to sell his car. A lot of potential buyers did show up, interested in having a look. However, luck hasn’t been on our side and the car is still up for sale up until this day. But you see, the idea of not being able to sell it was never bothersome for us. We’ve always reminded each other that having the car sold or not, we will always have that peace of mind knowing that we will still have a roof above our heads and good food on our table.
What if we were in that so-called “DESPERATE times call for DESPERATE MEASURES” state of living? What if we were in dire need of cold hard cash?
Are you convinced that you should get started on your” savings game” for this year? And if you have started saving years ago, doesn’t this post make you feel a little bit triumphant for starting ahead? I hope this encapsulation has helped to give you that extra push in Saving for your future. 😇 Please share this with someone who will also benefit from this post.
Ameena Rey-Franc of The Thrifty Pinay
The Pleasure of Walking Tall (An Inspiration to Save Money)