Common Cents

It took me 36 years to realize that if I turn off my lights instead of leaving them on that I save money. If I leave them on, it is like throwing money away. It is such a simple idea. My dad has been saying this to me since I was probably three years old. I heard him but I couldn't really grasp it until my husband and I created a budget. I tried to lower our electricity bills each month and it was a challenge. But, it helped me digest this simple idea.

Later this evening, I remembered that I had left the kids in the basement and I didn' t turn anything off. I came upstairs and left the kids downstairs by themselves to play. Usually they come up and leave everything on. TV, radio and all of the lights. But, to my surprise, everything was turned off. Everything! I was in complete shock. I constantly sound just like my dad. "Turn off the lights when you leave a room." Maybe it won't take my kids 31 years to understand why.

This is me at age 2 or 3. Apparently my parents were saving some money by cutting my hair at home.