The Smallest Bill

It absolutely pains me to spend dollar bills. My heart hurts every time I have to do it. I pulled into Sonic this evening on my way home from work to get a drink for my aching throat. My total came to $1.92 and I didn't have enough change to cover it. My heart literally hurt as I handed over two very crisp one dollar bills. Don't get me wrong - I can spend some money - it's those little $1 that hurt to let go. My obsession with one dollar bills started my senior year in college (technically my second senior year - but who's counting). Lee and I had been dating for almost a year when my wonderful grandmother clipped an article about crafty ways to save money. She was always clipping articles or comics that she thought we would enjoy...it is one of the things I miss the most about her. This one particular article really hit home and 5 years later, I'm still abiding by it. The article said to never spend one dollar bills. Always pay for items with bigger bills - $5, $10..$20. If your total is $1.92 - use a $5. Put all your ones away and just watch your little nest grow! Of course, being in college, this was a little difficult to get accustomed to - but it really forced me to monitor where my money was going. I have a bad habit of swiping plastic a little too easily. I count it as one of my talents - my ability to swipe, swipe, swipe and never think twice! Always using cash made me realize that those little purchases add up! So - back to my aversion to ones. Lee and I began to diligently save our ones. I would take out cash at the beginning of each week and then at the end of the week I would take all the ones out of my wallet and put them away. They're ones...they're like pennies...you never miss them! I was doing all of this from school in Mississippi and Lee was here in Houston doing the same. We had a goal - we wanted to save up enough money to buy a English Labrador from Wild Rose Kennel in Oxford, Mississippi. It's the home of Drake, The Ducks Unlimited dog and a very reputable and prestigious kennel. The puppies at Wild Rose are investments so Lee and I had to be super diligent about saving. Nine months later, we had saved up enough ones between the two of us to buy our precious Sir Regginald. We picked him up on May 29, 2005. Of course we didn't pay for him in ones...but the trip to the bank to cash all those ones in was pretty funny. I'm sure the teller thought I had a very questionable profession!

Ever since that first big purchase, I have saved my ones. Over the years, I have saved quite a lot of ones. I used the ones I saved in 2006 for spending money on our honeymoon (plus all my change I had saved). I used the ones I saved in 2007 (plus some other random savings) to buy Lee a really nice gift. Last year I used my ones to buy 1/2 an investment purse (the other half was a gift). In case you didn't know - I call an investment purse one that I spent enough money on to one day pass down to Elle (at least that is how I justify it to Lee). Now, it's getting to be that time of year where I count my ones to see how well I have done at saving this year. This year will probably be the worst yet because for 2 months, I didn't spend any cash at all while we were in the hospital (which I guess is savings in and of itself)! I might just keep saving and add this years ones to last years ones. Once you get the ball rolling - it is a very easy way to save a little money - especially if you have a goal - like spending money for a trip or an investment purse (or a daughter that we will one day be paying sorority dues for...maybe I should just keep saving and not spend my ones)!