The hardscrabble
life of the early settlers to Cavendish and other parts of New England required
that they “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” Yankee thrift was
key to survival.
The founding
Cavendish families-Coffeens, Duttons and Proctors- had to live within their
means as credit cards, mass produced goods, and even “labor saving devices”
were unknown. Fortunately, they were not continually bombarded, in all directions with
advertisements and other strategies to make them want to spend money.
If we could channel
John and Suzanna Coffeen, or the other “first couples of Cavendish” these are
suggestions they might make as to how we can adopt their guiding principles of
thrift:
Differentiating between Needs and Wants: Ask yourself the following questions before
making purchases:
• Is it
essential for my health and well-being? Food, housing, clothing, medications
and means of mobility are essential. Within that are elements that separate a
need from a want. Things like sodas, snack foods, luxury clothes and cars are
not essential. Nuts versus cake for food, water over soda, are examples of
choices that meet the need in an affordable and healthy manner.
• Do you
measure your self worth by what you have versus who you are? Do you want
something because someone else has it or is it something you need?
Adopt the Buyerarchy: Use what you have; borrow what you need;
swap; make it yourself; try a thrift store and buy only when you’ve tried the
other options, and then when it’s on sale. Use cash, versus a credit card, as
you’ll spend less and are smarter in your selection.
Develop social capital: Volunteerism was key then and it continues
to this day. Activities, such as a barn raising or a sewing bee, were
opportunities for people to socialize, check in on their neighbors and get
something done. Basically, if you want to make sure someone is going to be
there when you need the help, be there for others.
Downsize Possessions: What brings us joy and contentment is our
connections with one another not the pile of stuff in the closet. The more
stuff you own, the more it owns you.
Entertainment:
- • Significantly reduce or eliminate TV: By
not watching TV, you reduce exposure to advertisements, reduce energy bill, and
more time to do other things, like take a course at the local adult learning
center on basic home repair. If you don’t want to give up TV, consider
switching to video streaming which generally doesn’t have ads and is
considerably cheaper than a cable bill.
-
• Use the library: Don’t buy what you can borrow. Libraries
aren’t just for books, as you can borrow videos, books on tape and use
computers to check e-mail.
-
• Board games last longer than video games and you can play them when the power is out.
-
• Take advantage of local opportunities and
enjoy nature
-
• Entertain at Home: All of the first families owned inns/taverns,
so they definitely entertained at home.
Do it Yourself: Not only does it save money, but it gives
you the sense of a job well done.
Spend Time with Those Who Share Similar
Values: If your closest
friends prefer to spend their time shopping and maxing out their credit card,
chances are your going to feel it’s the “norm” to do likewise. We are very
influenced by the company we keep so if you want to keep your costs under
control, socialize more with friends and family who feel the same way.
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