Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-05-10
Talks on Thrift
Throw'ng Money at Something You
CAM Hit

Thrift is that feeling which comes
over you when you know you've been
stung. Did you ever notice that man
at summer resort who steps boldly
up to the counter, lays down a nickel,
picks up three balls and throws them
wildly at a negro's head, a row of
grinning dolls, or some other contrap-
ton devised to lure him away from
his nickel, hit nothing and walk away
with a detected look?
Did you ever go on an outing, or on
nights pleasure bent, and be a
good fellow" good spender," and
go home with that what-did-I-get-
out-of-it feeling?
! Did you ever attend an auction, lose
your head and buy something you
didn't need and couldn't use, at price
twice as much as il was worth and
have the same sensation?
That was your conscience entering
protest against waste-your thrifty
self struggling against your thriftless
self, trying to show you that you
waste money only to regret it, and,
even though you forget it, you won't
alter the situation.
Every summer resort is built upon
the proposition that most everybody
wastes certain amount of money,
gets foolish at times, takes a throw
or two at something they know they
can't hit, just to see how it feels.
Coney Island and the movie" do not
despise the nickels-all they want is
enough of them. Did you ever stop
to consider that nothing at amuse-
ment resorts costs over ten cents ex-
cept food? Summer resorts know
that human nature is frivolous in
summer time, bound to spend a part
of the weeks wage in being foolish,
generating thrills, that even though
innocent are costly, and only thrills
after all. And if the crop of foolish
folk were not a bumper one every
year, and if the stings of conscience
were needed, there would be many an
empty booth at teh beaches this year.
You can spend money foolishly so
long that your conscience will not
trouble you, just as you can cultivate
bad habit so long that you cease
to think it wrong. Even the best of
us, with the most careful manage
ment, are bound to waste a certain
amount of money. Somehow it gets
away from US, try as we will to pre-
vent it. But the man who deliberate
/ tillOWo iio ihOHtl dl oOfHtJniIk HC
can't hit, whether it be negro's head
or business proposition, must not
complain If the ball goes wide of the
mark. :.
If you can't resist this tendency to
throw things, either stay away from
such places, or don't carry much
money with you.
You can have a day at the beach
for a dollar. Fifty cents for your
swim, ten cents for car fare and forty
cents for lunch. And that will put
red blood in your veins and key up
your appetite wholesomely. Three
balls for nickel never does that.
The crowd would rather look on
while you throw your money away
than to throw their own; but what
compensation have you? When your
money is gone they will buy no shoes
for your babies, nor pay your rent
when you're sick, nor subscribe to
your pension when you're down and
out. Many catastrophe in life is
caused by throwing money at some
thing you can't hit, whether in bust
ness, in society, or at the beach; but
listen to that still, small voice-that
sting of conscience, and do what il
tells you, for il stings to a profitable
purpose. II is waving a red flag of
danger to keep you safe. Heed it,
American Bankers Association.