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Festival of Frugality: A Financial Fairy Tale

The Festival of Frugality: A Financial Fairy Tale: A Silly Story Created With Articles, In The Order They Were Received.

Jim and Jenny: A Personal Finance Romance

By: Your Resident Dork, NCN

Jim and Jenny met one night at their local coffee house. They were both considering the high price of certain frappuccinos. Jenny was a practical girl, training to become a midwife in North Carolina. Jim, well, he didn’t think about practical things, like saving money on his electric bill or whether doctors and lawyers make too much money. Nope, Jim was a dreamer. Jim figured that if he had a little cash set aside, he could spend his hours playing golf, going to the beach, and drinking expensive coffee.

Not Jenny. She was concerned about getting out of debt, pinching pennies… and returning her soda cans so that she could one day afford to get married. Jenny was thirsty for a life of security. She had a long list of things she was looking for in a man. But, alas, she was better at complex mathematics problems than she was at relationships.

Jim and Jenny accidentally bumped into each other as they exited the coffee house. Jim was on his cell phone to his good buddy, Rich Tim, and didn’t see Jenny until it was too late. After helping her up off of the floor, he was stunned by her simple beauty. He immediately asked her if she wanted to come over to his house and help caulk his windows. Jenny, who’s own house was rather expensive and expansive, was shocked by Jim’s forwardness. But, alas, she found her self attracted to Jim’s charming, peaceful nature. She shocked herself by telling Jim that, yes, she would love to come help him caulk his windows.

(Jenny had a knack for caulking windows, as well as for hanging sashes and installing money saving electrical devices and the like.)

Jim suggested that they order pizza. Jenny agreed. To save time, they ordered it from Jim’s Internet-capable cell phone. Jenny was a bit put-off by the extravagant cell phone, and she told Jim so. You see, Jenny believed in frugality! She’d learned her lesson the hard way, when she’d purchased more home than she could afford. Now, she was in debt, and she had been forced to pinch pennies. Jim thought very little about money, and had squandered most chances to save. He was foolish, putting off his retirement savings, eating too much pizza, and riding around town, willy nilly.

(You might pause to think… What did Jenny see in Jim? What did Jim see in Jenny? Who knows. But, perhaps they saw in one another what they themselves were lacking. Jenny needed someone who would take her to plays, teach her about art, and buy her nice things. Jim needed someone who would balance his checkbook, organize his 401K, and, yes, help caulk his windows. It does seem, yes, that opposites really do attract…)

After arriving home and caulking many windows (for it was getting cold out), Jim and Jenny settled down on the couch for a long discussion of their favorite holiday candy. (Jim’s mom was the influence behind his eating habits. She loved pizza.) (Jenny on the other hand, secretly loved wedding food. In fact, she’d attend weddings almost anywhere, just to get her hands on those little, white wedding cookies.) Jim remembered a book he read in college, about the invention of Hershey’s Kisses.

The discussion quickly turned to the subject of chocolate.

Jenny loved chocolate. So did Jim. Wow!!! The coffee shop! The frappuccinos!

Could it be?

Could these two opposites really have something in common?

Realizing that fate hate brought them togeter, and tired of playing games, these two love birds jumped into Jim’s car, dialed up the local minister, and set about the business of getting married!

And, even though they were different in almost every conceivable way, they loved each other. They would argue about money, and make up over pizza. They would fuss about budgets, but rejoice over shared-chocolate. They would disagree about debt, but snuggle together nightly in their warm, loving, well-caulked house.

And, they live happily ever after. The End—

Dork!!!

The above was inspired by my wife, who does not concern herself with finances, but concerns herself with the beauty of life, the wonder of of child’s smile, and joy that only a cozy fire can bring. She is my Jim. I am her Jenny.You know what I mean…

A big thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s Festival of Frugality. Direct links can be found below (for all you Jenny’s out there…)
http://www.manageyourdollars.com/node/6

http://makingourway.blogspot.com/2006/10/
http://www.binarydollar.com/2006/10/30/
http://wenchwisdom.blogspot.com/2006/11/
http://www.universeofsuccess.com/
2006/10/saving-account-super-charged.html
http://vervecoaching.com/?p=31
how-to-get-a-raise-in-15-minutes/


http://itsjustmoney.blogs.com/its_just_money/2006/10/recycling_time.html

http://www.investortrip.com/2006/10/07/brita-water-filter-saves-you-money/
http://www.yourcreditadvisor.com/blog/2006/10/102_personal_fi.html
http://bargainquest.richmondbargains.com/2006/11/03/15-percent-versus-10-certificate-on-50.aspx

http://wenchwisdom.blogspot.com/2006/11/crash-quiz-l-o-n-g.html

http://stoptheride-stephanie.blogspot.com/2006/11/my-husbandthe-bargain-king.html

http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2006/10/save_money_by_s.html

http://www.thoughtfulconsideration.com/2006/11/02/finance-investing-etc/buying-a-big-house-is-more-expensive-than-you-think/
http://debthater.typepad.com/debt_hater/2006/11/running_off_to_.html
http://www.pfadvice.com/2006/11/02/spend-to-save-10-things-to-buy-that-will-save-you-money/

http://www.scottonmoney.com/2006/11/cheaper_pizza_online.html

http://www.queercents.com/2006/11/03/time-is-money/

http://my-wealth-builder.blogspot.com/2006/11/five-ways-to-be-frugal-while-building.html

http://money-and-investing.dogberrypatch.com/archives/retirement-savings-contributions-credit-aka-savers-credit/
http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2006/10/26/lose-weight-save-gas/

http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/post-holiday-savings/

http://www.momadvice.com/blog/2006/10/dinner-is-in-bag.htm

http://www.bridalbargainsblog.com/wedding-cost-cutting-tip-find-a-venue-under-renovation.htm

http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/pfcollege-use-your-college-facilities.htmlhttp://frugalupstate.blogspot.com/2006/11/bunco-or-bunko-free-or-at-least-cheap.htmlhttp://opportunitiesaplenty.com/Debt_Blog/2006/11/know_this_when_you_lease_a_car_or_pay_th.html
http://firefinance.blogspot.com/2006/11/frugal-tip-free-411-service.html

http://www.wallerblog.com/2006/11/06/how-to-run-your-personal-business

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