I grew up in a small Iowa town, population 1,500. The folks were a mixture of Dutch, German, English, mostly middle class. I knew there were people in town who were certainly richer than us, and some who were less fortunate than our family. Most townies were hard working folks. Everyone outside of the city limits (I have to smile when I write that because we literally had one-stoplight) were farmers to some of the best crop growing soil in the world, although I didn’t realize it when I was a kid.

I don’t remember going without much growing up. Mom always made a good supper, meat and potatoes, a casserole or one of her homemade soups. I could eat hot lunch at school (less than 2 blocks away) or if they were serving something I didn’t care for, I’d walk home and eat leftovers or a tuna salad sandwich.

We went shopping quite often in Sheldon, Le Mars or Sioux Falls, mom sometimes letting me skip afternoon classes. Still most of my school clothes were ordered out of the Montgomery Wards, J.C. Penney catalog or made by a seamstress in town. Mom was an expert knitter and could crochet intricate patterns but struggled to replace a button on dad’s shirts. I think she enjoyed picking out material and patterns for outfits for me which I find kinda odd. She never seemed comfortable in fabric stores unless it was buying skeins of wool yarn. But we’d haul it to the woman who could stitch anything together and voila’ I’d have a new outfit in a week.

We weren’t rich or poor but I cannot remember any day of my life growing up in that house where mom or dad were flat broke. They always had (some) cash. If I was alone after school there was a candy dish with loose change on the dining room table. I’d take a nickel, walk a couple blocks ‘to town’ and buy some Brach’s chocolates, which were weighed out by the ounce from the U-shaped candy counter (chocolate covered peanuts, malt balls or stars were my favorites).

Mom kept a small box with dividers above the fridge in the cupboard (she was a 6 footer and had no problems with reaching stuff). Between the dividers were CASH allotments to pay bills, phone, electric, (we had a fuel oil furnace so had to get that tank filled up from the De Boer Brothers). Plus 2 gas station bills. Mom went to one, De Boer’s, dad filled up at another, Ver Berg’s. I know, another oddity of the house. Mom or dad would drive around town, stopping to pay the bills each month-in CASH.

I guess mom’s reasoning for keeping a stash of cash rubbed off. Would if she were driving to Sioux Falls and had a flat tire? More than likely, someone would stop and offer to change the tire for her. (Don’t know how long Triple A and such services have been around but the Gerritson’s didn’t subscribe to any but full coverage car insurance). Mom would of course offer to give him something for his help. I’m thinking a 5 or ten dollar bill back in the ‘60’s.

Mom just couldn’t be without some cash in her wallet. She might have had a Ward’s or Penney’s card (which she would have paid in full by check every month, signing her first, middle, maiden name before her married name, which took more than the signature line provided-haha), but I don’t believe she had a true credit card.

I just can’t fathom becoming a cashless society. Until a couple years ago I still wrote checks at the grocery store, although now I use a debit card. I faithfully come home and subtract the total in the checkbook. But to stop at Jimmy John’s, Subway or Dairy Queen, it just seems logical to pay cash. I don’t pay cash to fill up the Jeep anymore. I fully embrace not having to go inside to pay and would have appreciated that a great deal when I had littles.

Twenty years ago I recall a teacher friend telling me she had stopped at the grocery store to buy some Halloween candy for her students on her way to school. The grocery store debit/credit card gizmo was on the fritz that morning and she had no cash to pay for the treats so had to leave empty handed. I was dumbfounded. She had a 40 mile drive to get to school. How could she leave town without a few bucks on her in case her car broke down? I read an article in the paper today about some church denominations making changes in how they collect offerings. Seems like younger people, 25-45 don’t carry cash so the church has adapted. Now the collection plates have credit card readers attached. Oh. My. Stars. As for me and the Hubs, we will continue our old-fashioned way of life and always carry some cash…