I have always been a saver and I was taught about saving from a very young age.  My mother would give us a piggy-bank on the 1st of the New Year.  All throughout the year my siblings and I would save any change or dollars that were given to us.  The week after Christmas we would open our piggy-banks and count our change and dollars to the point where we each had nearly $500.  The excitement to see my money add up when I was about 9 years old brought satisfaction.

Now that I have two girls of my own, I continue that very same “tradition”. My oldest is almost 3, and I started her saving quest when she just turned 2.   The younger they learn the better.

As a young child saving money every year taught me valuable lessons.  I learned that every penny count and over a period of time with continuous effort the money grew.  My desire to save was great.  I was able to buy anything I wanted without asking my mother.  Year after year, especially when I started working in high school, that money eventually helped with my college education.  I kept my same job through out college and worked on the weekends.  Every paycheck was saved and eventually used to pay for my college expenses.  I was among the few who graduated college debt-free.