Saving habit started with piggy bank

When we were young, we opened our first bank account when the bank officer came to the school.

At that time, we were just little kids, not more than seven years old.

Actually before we even had the saving account, our parents had bought us piggy bank.

In those days, the piggy bank was very heavy.  It was the ceramic piggy bank.   Once we fed the piggy bank till it nearly burst, our parents would bring the ceramic piggy bank to the bank.

The bank teller would smash the ceramic piggy bank, since that was the only way to get at the money.  It was rather sad to see her killing our dear piggy.

It was hard not to cry.  That is why in those days, many kids around our age cried in the bank.

We felt sad to see our dear piggy in bits and pieces.  Our parents would buy another piggy bank for us.  It was often a race among the siblings to feed the dear piggy bank to the brim.

That was the most enjoyable part of saving money.  Being kids, we did not know that the piggy bank was not real.  We even talked to our piggy bank as we fed it coin after coin.

We were very grateful for our parents for cultivating the saving habit in us.

Nothing sounded nicer than the tingling of the coins when we shook the piggy bank.  We used to peep inside the hole to see when the big stomach would be filled.

It is sad to see that many kids today do not know how to save.  Many adults forget the childhood habit of saving money as well.


Maybe it is time for us to buy piggy banks as Christmas present for all our friends and relatives.  It does not matter how old or how young they are, they need our reminder to save money.

There are many cute little piggy banks in the market.  Fortunately the piggy banks today have another opening to take the money out.

The cruelty of smashing the ceramic piggy bank is over.

We can choose many types and many sizes.  I think for those young kids, a small one will do.  Otherwise it will take years for them to put enough coins to fill it up.

For the adults, we can get a big elephant one.  Many people associate elephant with luck.  The elephant version supposedly to bring wealth and luck to them.

Most of the times, we do not even associate saving habit with collection of coins.   We do associate credit card with debt.

That is why we should learn to limit the use of credit card if we are impulsive shopper.  It is good to use cash, so that we can spend within our means.

It is good to collect the loose change.  We can bring the coins home to feed the dear piggy bank.