My parents were part of possibly the last generation that saved their money to buy things. Today we don't look in our savings account, that is if we even have one, instead we check our credit line.
My parents were shaped by the depression and the Second World War. After the war, the returning soldiers got married and began to build the American dream.
My Dad built the small house I was raised in. He worked full time as a machinist, rented a room from a relative and spent his off time salvaging materials from a two story house he had contracted to demolish to make room for the new high school.
He saved everything, lumber, windows, nails, doors and whatever he could reuse to build our tiny house. He did all of this with the help of an eccentric local farmer named Drexel Harris.
Drexel still farmed with horses so my Dad scooped out the tiny basement and graded the hillside lot using his horses. He built the house himself as he got the money and never borrowed a dime.
I'm one of the sixties rebels who rebelled and questioned the social and moral norms. Music, fast cars and the sexual revolution, that I am grateful I missed, and a new way to feed our impulsive wants, revolving credit.
Living up to and beyond our means with a line of credit was becoming normal. I was responsible in the beginning but later on I dabbled in high interest credit card debt. This was partly because of circumstances but for decades I lived under a cloud of these plastic taskmasters.
I have righted the ship and have things under control but I still don't own a home or anything building equity. I do however have an excellent 816 credit rating (whatever that means) and a long line of credit waiting in the shaddows for another weak moment.
I fought with my parents over this issue like most kids. I bought new cars, had the latest toys and refused to live by a budget. I paid my bills but investments and compounding interest would have ment a very comfortable retirement.
"I have enough" and "simplify, simplify, simplify" have been a guiding principle for much of my life. I have learned to be creative with what I have, avoid giving a damn what the cool kids think and living below my means.
My bike trips have taught me the adventure gets better when I have less money to spend. I would not camp as often or cook as much if I could stay in nice motels, eat in restaurants and get massages.
Connecting with people is now my goal so asking for permission from a farmer to camp in a pasture or asking the local police about a safe place where they "don't look" is much more interesting then negotiating with a motel office employee.
I have shared meals with hungry strangers along the road. We usually combine whatever ingredients we have to create a unique hobo stew. I love that I have a humble bicycle rig. I have learned what I really need and what I really don't need.
Perhaps this has nothing to do with how smart or wise I am it is how this mode of travel has made me learn this. My mistakes have forced me to change, I take no credit for this other then my initial selfcentered mistakes.
I doubt I have a unique story. This younger generation is living the life they will learn with and hopefully they will move on to the life they will live. I'm just grateful I survived my stupid past.
If you can keep wealth in perspective I admire you. Many if not most have learned these things the easy way. Unfortunately that has never been my style.
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