A post bewailing self checkouts at the grocery store

[moniss]

6. Many years ago

(about 55 as it seems) I came across an elderly couple who were a young couple during the Depression. It had been their habit to track all of their household purchases by writing them down. When they got home from the grocery store they would write down everything they bought with a complete description and price. When they made their shopping list they referred to the previous entries to write down how much each item should cost. They could instantly see in the store any changes to the price. Obviously during those times they needed to watch every penny.

But what was so amazing to me was that many years after, even when their children had left the nest, they continued the practice despite money not being a daily struggle. Equally as amazing was that they had saved every notebook from the time they started and most had receipts. Here it was the late '60's and they brought out notebooks to show me from over 30 years before. I also once ran across somebody who kept a journal/diary of every single day of his ownership of his new car that he received as a high school graduation gift. The journal ran all the way through his college years and well into his subsequent career in teaching. This was one of those guys who literally wrote down everything that ever happened and made daily comments about where he went and how the car ran/drove. Folders full of receipts too. All in date order and with mileage. almost 20 years of history. He was also one of those guys who checked every nut, bolt and screw on a regular schedule and he made the schedule also. When I bought the car from him he offered me the journals etc. but I had no need as this was, to me, just a temporary in between transportation car. He seemed visibly crestfallen that I found no interest in carrying on the records.