Simple Living with Wanda Urbanska

Wanda's Diary Entries

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Yesterday, I sent a Christmas gift to my friend Krysia, who lives in Menlo Park, California. So I mailed a check to the Village Enterprise Fund, which helps to start businesses in Uganda and other African nations, earmarked for her and her daughter yesterday. (This was actually Krysia’s idea and what she’s doing in lieu of holiday gifts for adults.) But what really thrilled me is the donation that Henry made to the same group.

Since Henry has signed up for the Share Save Spend program originated by Minnesota financial planner and visionary Nathan Dungan, he has consistently been dividing all money that comes his way—whether it’s allowance, gifts of cash, or earnings—into three tubes. Each week, one dollar goes into the share, the save and the spend tubes. Between that and some windfalls, like the $10 bill sent him by his Aunt Ruth for Halloween, he’s accumulated $36.47. He decided to send the entire amount to the fund. When I offered to round up his amount for $40, he balked. “No, Mommy. I want every penny of that donation coming from me.”

Quiet, my beating heart!