Sweet Sixteen

[mjarrels]

Wow... my daughter just turned 16 today... O'charley to go furnished the Great foods...(Freee) Golf course thing. A DQ ice crearm cake topped it off... wow, great day... We got off for about $60.00 bucks... However the converstation turned to her friend who turned 16 about six months ago... $2,400 plus spent on a sweet sixteen party... kid and brother seperated from their parents (divorced) living in a cheap rundown house, dad living in a cheap appartment... Why do people do thing things like this? We had a great time and did'nt spend much money at all! Why do people who have nothing spend money like that?

mark

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Wow... my daughter just turned 16 today... O'charley to go furnished the Great foods...(Freee) Golf course thing. A DQ ice crearm cake topped it off... wow, great day... We got off for about $60.00 bucks... However the converstation turned to her friend who turned 16 about six months ago... $2,400 plus spent on a sweet sixteen party... kid and brother seperated from their parents (divorced) living in a cheap rundown house, dad living in a cheap appartment... Why do people do thing things like this? We had a great time and did'nt spend much money at all! Why do people who have nothing spend money like that?

mark

Your question can be answered by re-phrasing the final sentence.

(Why do) People who spend money like that have nothing?!?!?!?

IMHO, part of raising a child "right" is teaching them to handle finances in a responsible manner. Throwing money away, ESPECIALLY when there isn't always enough for the essentials, is a poor example.


Oh by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your daughter!

 

[texasjohn]

hmm... right words, however I think this is the right sequence.

People who spend money like that....have nothing.

It's called judgment (some would say poor), or choice and consequence.

It's the American way..... political comment regarding size of US national debt and consequences thereof is voluntarily withheld to avoid violation of TBN usage agreement

 

[LMTC]

16...while I miss those days with our kids, I gotta say I don't want to go back...they're 27, 23, & 23 now. So where are you going to lock her up until she's 35?

Just my $.02 worth, but I think there are two primary reasons: 1. it is a balm, allowing one to escape the reality of poor finances, if only for a brief moment, and 2. it can be indicative of the same judgment that led to poor finances to start with. And yes, I am sure there are hundreds of other reasons, I'm simply saying those are my two top guesses (in no particular order).

I've been poor growing up, I mean not without a roof, but poor to the point of knowing many days that Momma wasn't sure what, or if, she was going to feed the kids that night (the only judgment issue here is the man she married.....he left when we were 17, 14, and 12 and times got rough). When I got married and we were both working I was way too loose with the money the first couple years....some sort of over compensation I suppose. I was fortunate not to get myself into serious debt. Then I got too tight (according to my kids :>).

I think a lot of poor spending/money management is due to simply not being taught money management skills. I know one family that shops 5 days a week.....literally going each day to get the food for that evening and next morning. They are not poor, but they aren't getting much ahead either. They can't even comprehend stocking up on stuff they always use when it is on sale, and I know they have enough $$ for that. I figure they spend 2-3 x on groceries what they need to spend just by not planning.

 

[riptides]

Wow... my daughter just turned 16 today... O'charley to go furnished the Great foods...(Freee) Golf course thing. A DQ ice crearm cake topped it off... wow, great day... We got off for about $60.00 bucks... However the converstation turned to her friend who turned 16 about six months ago... $2,400 plus spent on a sweet sixteen party... kid and brother seperated from their parents (divorced) living in a cheap rundown house, dad living in a cheap appartment... Why do people do thing things like this? We had a great time and did'nt spend much money at all! Why do people who have nothing spend money like that?

mark

How do you know that money wasn't saved with due dilligence for that particular event?

Sixteen is special, look at it from another perspective.

 

[pennwalk]

Why do people who have nothing spend money like that?

Welllllllll. You can't take it with you and life is not a rehearsal. More than likely the government will find some way to fleece you of it and if not them then wall street will.

I guess it won't be long till your daughter is driving. GOOD LUCK. My daughter just got her license yesterday.

Chris