What shapes your values and attitudes towards money? Did you hear any catchphrases about money in your family when you were growing up?
In ‘Conversation 2’ in our Money Makes Change interactive workshop for small groups we encourage people to share how their families, friends and childhood experiences have shaped how they think about money. In this blog, we hear Connie’s story:
I grew up in Hackney, in a household of seven; my parents (who were originally from Antigua in the West Indies), myself and four siblings. Mum and Dad would both say, “Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves”. They were both hard workers, doing shift work respectively but one parent would always be home with us during the day or night.
As a regular churchgoer, I remember hearing the Bible reading about tithing – giving a tenth of your income to Church. This is something I put into practice when I first started working.
My faith keeps me strong, healthy and happy. I know God is with me in good times. When money was hard to find, and on several occasions when my husband was made redundant, my Mum used to say: “God will provide”. It’s true, someone would give us a lift home in their car, family or friends would invite us to dinner, or we collected household goods from St Saviour’s Priory without having to pay to help furnish our home.
I like to share what my family taught me and will often quote my parents, who are no longer with us, to my girls. Also, my in-laws who were brought up during the Second World War taught me to “never get credit, only buy something if you have the cash to buy it”.
In the last ten or more years we have become more aware of everyone getting a fair wage for their work. I look for Fairtrade items where I can.
I collect loose change in a box for Charity and empty it yearly. I’m an unemployed carer, but I volunteer my time as a Girl Guide Leader, by singing with infant children at our Church School and leading a preschool music group as my way of giving to our Church on a weekly basis. I also help to recycle Christmas and Birthday cards to remake them and sell again to help fundraise. Mum used to say, “Charity begins at home”. So, if I can’t use something, I pass it to family or St Saviour’s Priory who help to feed, clothe or provide for those who are homeless or in need.
We are looking for more stories! If you have a story you would be willing to share about the ways your family background and upbringing have shaped the decisions you make about money then please get in touch via info@eccr.org.uk