"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin

I want to share a wonderful story written by Ginger Manley, an extremely talented woman who is the author of several books as well as a honored professor/sex therapist at Vanderbilt University.  Why bother to share this story with you?  Because I am a very proud mommy and this true story involves my daughter, Tara Blevins Tolbert, and an incredible incident that took place in her life this summer.  Just click on the highlighted link and you will hopefully find this story warming the cockles of your heart. 

Priceless Treasure from Goodwill


Now, in case you are wondering about the Benjamin Franklin quote that kicked off this post, I thought (from a mom's perspective) it may be relevant.

You see, when Tara and her sister, Amanda, were sixteen and fourteen years of age respectively and Tara began to drive, I called my two daughters in for a chat.

Knowing both wanted to earn extra spending money for various teenage necessities, I told them I had a deal for them to help out with their immediate need. I also hoped my plan would teach them something they could hold on to long-term as well.

Not really sure what their reaction would be, I explained I would be willing to turn the household monthly food budget over to them and they could take that money and, on a weekly basis, make out the daily menus for our family of six. Keep in mind back in those days eating out at fast food restaurants was kept to a bare minimum and family meals were eaten around the family table. After the menus were decided, they could then prepare a grocery list for each week and then buy the groceries. At the end of the month if using the food budget wisely, and without starving us to death, they could split the difference they saved.

I was thrilled with the enthusiastic response from both.

I then gave them tips on clipping coupons and taking advantage of buying produce near expiration but still fresh for the next couple of days. I stressed the wisdom of finding great buys on meats which could be frozen for meals in advance and buying items by bulk. And finally...they could not spend the money they think they've earned until the end of each month.

Tara and Mandy, chomping at the bit, took their new project very seriously and hit the ground running.

Let's just say this. We did eat more than enough chicken during that period of our lives. Anything fresh and green... not so much. I did have to, on occasion, drop a hint about fresh fruit and yes, milk was one part of the important basic food groups. Well... one more thing. I finally did have to let it be known they could not stuff one more ounce of frozen meat in that freezer until I cooked some of it up even if it meant their earnings fell shy of their desired goal of the month.

Overall, on a scale of 1-10, Tony and I gave those girls of ours a TEN on the grocery project! They pocketed quiet a bit of money during that time and they made their dad and me extremely proud. They are to this day both married with their own children, both very frugal, queens of the thrift stores and the two can squeeze a dollar until it screams to let it go.

Always hoping I had a little something to do with that admirable quality in our girls, I mentioned something along these lines to my beloved man. His reassuring response? "Yeah, you probably did but even a blind hog finds an acorn on occasion, honey."