Autumn is here, which means shopping for some new overalls for Smallsteps, which we happened to find on sale at a relatively decent price. Though, "decent" is relative, in kids clothes, considering how long they last. However, they do have to be decent quality in order to provide elemental protection, because the weather can be pretty difficult at this time of year, considering they still spend a lot of time outside, no matter the rain, snow or ice that might be on the cards in the coming weeks. All up though, it should last her through the autumn and for the spring, with a winter one still needed to be bought, once she has grown a little more closer to the real freezing temperatures.
We used to sell the clothes that we bought, but now we tend to give them to charity for other people to buy far cheaper (or get free), because while we could do with the little extra money, the hassle to sell can be high and, we feel that especially now with more people struggling, donating helps others more, than we get helped with the extra.
Fuel prices are going up here, as are electricity. In my city, the electricity provider is increasing costs by three hundred percent, which is going to be a killer in the winter for us. We have a fireplace, but it isn't made for heating, so we use a air-water heat exchanger, after replacing the oil-burning furnace that was here. This is cheaper than heating with just electricity, but not that much cheaper, so 300% is going to make "quite a dent" in our monthly income.
We have a few more weeks of high costs due to the kitchen renovation, but after that, we are going to have to scale back significantly to put more away to ensure the lights stay on during the winter. I am pretty sure we aren't the only ones that are going to struggle through or at least, stress a bit about it, but like most, I'm confident we'll make it.
What concerns me about these periods though is that financial pressures tend to translate directly into social dysfunction and Finns have been largely living quite well over the last few decades. This means that they are going to feel the crunch emotionally, especially since instead of winding back in 2008, they sold off assets to maintain lifestyle, meaning that many might take the same approach again, but not have much of a safety net left to fall back upon.
Like it or not, for the vast majority of us, our possibility is dictated by how much money we have. Today for example, we were buying some pants for Smallsteps and she tried on two pairs and wanted both, shedding a tear because she was told that she'd only get one. As a six year old, she of course doesn't yet fully understand the concept of money or where it comes from, but interestingly, at that age, I had a very good idea that my parents didn't have enough.
As I told Smallsteps, we have always provided for her at least what she needs in life, she hasn't gone without much. However, she was surprised when I said that I was eight years old before I got the first clothes bought for me, the first that weren't hand-me-downs. I didn't mention that the only reason they were bought at that time was, I had thrown-up on what I was wearing while driving and my mother was forced to buy me a tracksuit. It was a Tonka truck tracksuit and I loved it. Not because it was Tonka, but because it was mine.
I am not sure what is worse a spoilt and entitled child or, a child that grows up with a strong scarcity mindset.
As the latter, I perhaps might err on the side that being a little spoiled for opportunity, is better than not having enough opportunity at all. However, there is also a certain amount of "hunger" that comes with a scarcity mindset, as well as potential for a strong work ethic. But, as we can see in the world today, there is also the victimhood possibility, as well as moving into less than legal areas, justifying poor behavior, by blaming poor circumstances.
I was older than Smallsteps during the early 90s recession, which impacted on my family quite a lot and perhaps, left some experiential scars on me. I think that for the most part, it wasn't for the better, because a deep-seeded scarcity mindset set in and at least for me, I spent everything I got, just in case, rather than collect, save or invest. It took decades to "unlearn" and start to build better processes, but that "not enough" mentality is still just below the surface, ready to splurge on the unnecessary and valueless again.
It is hard to predict what actions today will lead to Smallsteps' challenges or strengths in the future, but at least, I hope that openly discussing financial decision-making and the whys for and against will at least give her an even ground to build upon. When I was a kid, it wasn't spoken about in a healthy way at all.
And, I think that it is because of this that money corrupts so many, because what they have been led to believe and the relationship they have been raised to have with it, is unhealthy. Rather than seeing it as a tool, it is made to be the driving force of life itself and without it, nothing can be done. This might be true in many respects, but it really is only half the story, because without the balancing force of how to earn and use it well, it becomes something to covet, something that is always in short supply, something that no matter how much you have, it is never enough.
More might be the goal, but the "what for?" may be an important question to consider.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]