Monday, November 15, 2010

Money, Money, Money


The one thing The Kiddo loves more than spending money? That would be making money.

The Kiddo has always been a saver, and a strategic spender: she spends other people’s money and saves her own. She’s probably got a career in politics ahead of her, no?

Her usual standard operating procedure is to put most of her money in the bank, while leaving a little mad money in her piggy bank at home. But sometimes the piggy bank oinks out a red alert signal.

Such is this case this weekend. The Kiddo wound up falling in love with one of the new “jelly” watches that all the kids are just in love with. It’s a great big man-sized watch, encrusted with rhinestones and graced with a red and black rubberized “jelly” band. She picked red and black because, unlike her dad, The Kiddo likes the Georgia Bulldogs … but she was quick to point out that it was our high school’s team colors, too.

The only problem with her watch (besides the fact that I say red and black DON’T go with everything) was that it absorbed all of her mad money. That being the case, The Kiddo quickly launched a fund-raising campaign.

Before breakfast on Sunday morning, the child had already drafted a menu of awesome opportunities, designed to part pocket change from whomever might wander past. Examples?

Well, she’d sweep three rooms (no carpet, as she hates to vacuum) for 50 cents, six for a buck. She’d trade five minutes of raking leaves for three dollars (she hates raking leaves almost as much as she hates to vacuum.)

A back or shoulder rub for a minute and a half (strictly timed) would set you back just two thin dimes – and she hooked you with free five second samples. Do you have only a dime to spare? No problem. She’d write you a very short story for just ten cents.

If you were of the female persuasion, you could have your toenails and fingernails painted for just 20 cents – you can tell that she likes painting nails, right?

The artistic stuff was the high priced items. She’ll draw a picture of your face for a dollar, and even two people for the same price. But if you wanted your wiggly pet tarantula in for a portrait with you? That will be a buck and a half, thank you very much.

I remember doing much the same when I was her age. I wonder if my mom and dad got as much of a kick out of it as I did when The Kiddo approached me with her first five-second free shoulder rub sample.

So far, she’s got a quarter out of me … that would be for the blue-light special shoulder rub she gave me – 50 seconds of pure bliss for the princely sum of 25 cents. I hope as she goes through life, she won’t forget her willingness to work hard to earn money – and to realize that some things are so fun (those fingernails and toenails, again) that they don’t even seem like work.

8 comments:

Anne Gallagher said...

That's nice she's so industrious. I wish I could get mine to do ANYTHING for money. Cleaning her room might even be good for a 5-spot. Of course she doesn't realize the value of money yet, but it would be nice to keep her room clean. And I know I'll pay for those words when she's 12.

Summer Frey said...

Aww, that's great! I love the arbitrary pricing system. :) I remember as a kid we only got paid if we spent a whole day doing something really huge, mostly yard-related. Those were the days when I had a hard time comprehending how my ten dollar bill was equal to the 20 my parents gave my brother (and he gave them 10 back).

Linda G. said...

LOL! Your kiddo has a real future ahead of her. :)

Matthew MacNish said...

What a smart, enterprising kid. Way to go!

TAWNA FENSKE said...

Sign me up for one of those 20-cent mani/pedi deals. You'll fly her out to Oregon, right?

Tawna

Unknown said...

I love that she understands she's got to work for what she wants.

Good for her. And that shoulder rub sounds good.

Emy Shin said...

The Kiddo sounds so adorable -- it's wonderful that she's willing to work for the money. My little sister just tries to cajole it out of my parents. :)

Patty Blount said...

I wish I could rent her long distance!

What an industrious young lady. I am impressed.