Penny pinching...

I am all for saving money!

I am all for 'hand me downs'...especially being a third child and having 4 girls of my own.

I like shopping at garage sales, sales, and using coupons :)

But...

There is a point when penny pinching turns into greed. When you expect people to help you, when you expect people to give you things, when you expect people to do things for you...all without asking, all without gratitude, and all without a teaching moment for your children.

When you do these things, what are you teaching your children? To take people for granted, to expect things handed to them, to not have to work for anything, and teaching them that friends, family, and loved ones are your friends to be taken for granted...

I hope that my kids have and are learning the lesson of working hard for ALL we have, ALL we want, and ALL that's important. But that they also know that these 'things' are worldly possessions and are ultimately wants and not needs. And that they will not come with you to a higher place one day...

Every penny counts, but so do friendships...