My grandmother was two steps ahead on this one. Growing up, my grandma told my brother and I about a hungry, homicidal orphan named Joshua that lived in the hills of New Hampshire. If you didn’t clean your plate, somehow Joshua would instantly know about it. He would wait until you were asleep, and then murder you with the knife he kept on his belt.
How this resulted in Joshua getting fed was never very clear. But I do know that to this day I have never left food on my plate. Never.
Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Too bad the next generation hasn’t figured that one out yet. Can’t wait until they have to pay the power bill themselves.
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Don’t buy something cheap. Buy quality, even if it costs more**. My dad grew up in a very poor family during the Great Depression, and he certainly knew the value of a dollar. The only purchase he ever financed was the house was I grew up in. Everything else was paid for by saving cash first, and everything he bought was top quality.
I’m this way, but it’s more of a backlash against my parents’ apparent policy of always going for the cheapest option available. They were capable of learning, though For example, I grew up having to settle for “athletic shoes” out of the Sears catalog, because there was no way my parents were gonna pay $30 for no fancy “brand name” shoes. But then, when I was in the 9th grade my dad took up jogging. He went jogging in his Sears “running shoes”, and came back every time complaining about how his feet and knees hurt. By this time he and I wore the same size shoe, and I had saved up my paper route money and gotten myself a pair of Nikes. So one day he was getting ready to go for a run and I handed him my Nikes and said, “Here, try these.” He went for his run, and came back a changed man. He went right out and tried several different brands of quality running shoes, and eventually settled on New Balance. Never bought bargain shoes again.
My dad also grew up - well, was born - during the depression and was quite poor growing up. However, he was the opposite. Never buy something if you can make it from parts around the house. It is funny how such things shape our lives, because I grew up hating that. I will always go buy something if it makes my life easier. One of the last things he said to me before he died was about money. He said he regretted never having broken me of the phrase: it is only 50 dollars. He meant that when I want something, I’ll go buy it and say it was only…
Always shut the refrigerator door immediately! Do not leave it standing open, or stand before it, gazing moodily at the contents.
Well, I do admit to staring moodily, especially when I’m trying to concoct a dinner for five from the contents therein … but the bit about leaving the door open, MAN! It’s physically painful for me to leave it standing open for a couple of seconds while I, for example, put a second casserole in, or something.
I did go through a period, after leaving home, of yanking electrical appliances out by the cord, and drinking milk from the carton. But I thought better of it, and thus ended my youthful rebellion.
At home, don’t eat anywhere but in the kitchen and dining room.
Never ask a lady how old she is.
Hang up your clothes or put them in the hamper as soon as you take them off.
Always call your elders Mr., Mrs. or Miss. (As an adult, if somebody way older than me says it’s okay to all them by their first name I do, of course.)
If I don’t conciously think about whether I’m still hungry, I’ll automatically eat everything on my plate, going way past full. This is a very bad practice.
At some time, I got the idea that, if anyone wanted me at their house, they’d have specifically invited me. I’m 59 years old, and I’m still afraid to invite myself to somebody else’s home. I regret this terribly. :smack::smack::smack::smack:
I still have a hard time writing in crossword puzzle books and the like. My mom is an elementary school teacher, so any puzzle in a book was xerox fodder for the classroom. I can do crosswords in the paper, but no books.
For example, I grew up having to settle for “athletic shoes” out of the Sears catalog, because there was no way my parents were gonna pay $30 for no fancy “brand name” shoes. But then, when I was in the 9th grade my dad took up jogging. He went jogging in his Sears “running shoes”, and came back every time complaining about how his feet and knees hurt. By this time he and I wore the same size shoe, and I had saved up my paper route money and gotten myself a pair of Nikes. So one day he was getting ready to go for a run and I handed him my Nikes and said, “Here, try these.” He went for his run, and came back a changed man. He went right out and tried several different brands of quality running shoes, and eventually settled on New Balance. Never bought bargain shoes again.