The column that Jonathan Comey wrote in the Living section on Feb. 25 was amazingly refreshing. To touch back, Mr. Comey spoke about how his life changed emotionally and financially with receiving an inheritance from his grandmother upon her passing away, and it awoke a light within me that helped renew my own personal regrets, such as not having an updated car, choosing to not have cable television, and purchasing store brand diapers for my 2½-year old as opposed to brand name.

I took away from the article about how Americans just waste money, including me, and do not save for the future. This article helped me strengthen my belief system as to why I need to stay on track with not wasting money on unnecessary things. No one should wait for a fortune to come their way.

For the past two years I’ve been part of One Family, Inc., a nonprofit family scholarship foundation, which helps women in college with their finances, budgeting, living within our means, etc.

Because of One Family, I will be out of debt sooner than I anticipated, and can start saving toward home ownership and building my credit.

We can learn from other people’s mistakes and victories, and not waste money on things we do not need, but remember to treat ourselves once in a while.

As a parent, I also recognized how our children eventually will see the good we do for them. Later in life, they will reflect and be grateful for what we give them.

Even if it isn’t a small fortune, we can invest in spending time with them.

Originally published in The Standard-Times newspaper,  SouthCoastToday.com – Posted March 23, 2007 12:10 AM

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