-- the word pound refers to the British Pound Sterling

Penny Wise and Pound Foolish


Who hasn't tried to pinch pennies and save?
There are savings schemes galore.
In fact, they're the entire rave.

It’s funny that most require a small expenditure,
A pittance, in order to catch the wave:
Buy now and save!

But we are conditioned to consume,
like lemmings to their grave.
Always buying over our heads,
on those magic words, "You'll Save!"

We put a pittance in a jar,
and think that it will go afar.
It is but a drop in our debt,
we have not figured out yet.

For credit so easily given,
by the stockholders' profit driven.
And debt becomes a slippery slope,
from which there is no realistic hope.

We are colored by our fears,
keep up with the Joneses all our years.
A dream house is easily foreclosed.
Bankruptcy snaps at our toes.

The answer is quite simple my dear,
live simpler and hold your money near.
Saving what you do not need,
give to others instead of your greed.

Nothing will bring our economy down,
quicker than a bunch of spending fools.
Who never learned the basic tools,
of living the frugal life.

Copyright 2007 © Ronald W. Hull

8/23/07