Money Lessons from John Travolta's Frugal Childhood

A DIY backyard pool, a bargain-basement nightclub and used designer clothes were part of John Travolta's childhood. As one of six kids, Travolta was raised by a store-owning dad and a money-saving drama-teaching mom, who inspired John Travolta's passion for acting. I learned a lot about frugal living and parenting by reading an article about Travolta's childhood in an old issue of Reader's Digest. (A neighbor gave me a huge stack of magazines. I'm reading & recycling.)

Here's a snippet from the article, with my comments on frugal parenting.

Travolta's DIY Family Backyard.

'My parents never limited their thinking. We had an aboveground pool in the backyard. We had a barbecue, indoor pit. We had a nightclub in the basement. These are things my dad and I created together.

We built barbecue pits, pool decks, fences, airplanes. A new pool in those days cost about $500; with a filter, it would be an $800 proposition. Instead, we got a used pool where the liner was $70 and the outside $50.' --John Travolta in RD.com

The Second-hand Wardrobe

'My mother would buy secondhand clothes. She said, "I can put my son in a Christian Dior suit for $10 at the Church of Atonement. If I buy it brand-new, that would be $300. Or I could buy a really cheap suit for $20 that will fall apart." All my clothes were beautiful, because they were the wealthy people's hand-me-downs. My mother was a smart woman.' -John Travolta in RD.com

Frugal Parenting Lessons That I Learned from Travolta

1. Family DIY projects add a lot to family bank and memory accounts. In my house, we've had fun making birthday cards, gifts and games with my kids. It's not really about the money; it's about the process of teaching kids to be creative and resourceful.

2. The right hand-me-downs can leave a big impact on kids. Like Travolta's mom, I also dress my kids in beautiful second-hand clothes from wealthy friends. (The grandparents also help with the wardrobe.) I also recommend shopping in thrift stores that are near on in upscale neighborhoods. Those stores often have new or only-worn-once children's clothes.

Besides: After the first washing, new, almost new and second-hand clothes all look the same anyway.

Your comments are welcome below.
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