Cora made her wish list up for the holidays several weeks ago. Every item on that list was over $200. I told Cora she was a brave girl, but her wishes better prepare themselves for a dashing defeat rendered by mom's pocketbook.

"But, mom, I've saved up some money and I can give you what I have towards my gift."

"Cora, that's not right. I won't have you pay towards your gift," I answered. After a pause, I asked, "Just how much do you have, anyway?"

"Twenty dollars."

Cora receives a ten-spot per week for helping with laundry, dishes, cleaning, and babysitting. She's gathered this bounty since the beginning of September. Since she doesn't pay for rent, food or clothing, I wanted to know where she managed to spend a little over one hundred dollars in three months' time.

"Skating, which is five dollars a week, and sometimes I pay for my friends to get in," she replied. She added, "Archie comic books, and some other things. I forget."

I know how much the comic books cost, and I also know Cora's generous to her friends. After some quick calculations, I figured she was getting by just fine. One comic book per week and skating is just about ten dollars. If she buys a friend's ticket on occasion and adds a soda to that list, I'm surprised she's managed to save twenty dollars.

This exchange triggered a discussion on ways she might earn more money. After a quick search on the Internet, we discovered a few jobs she could hope to hold at age 13 going on 14. These are the jobs, and her quick responses to each one:

1. Open a lemonade stand. "Sure, in the middle of winter. Right."
2. Walk the neighbor's dog. "Do we even know our neighbor's name?"
3. Help neighbors with yard work. "No one has a yard around here."
4. Offer to wash cars. (giggles)
5. Wash windows. (hysterical laughter)

At this point Cora thought I was playing a game, and I had to drop the subject for a day or so. When I broached the idea of saving money again, it was on a trip to the grocery store. This time, I posed a dilemma and asked her if she would help me solve the problem.

Since my time is limited, I don't clip or use coupons for grocery store items. I asked if she would take on the job of clipping coupons and helping me use them before they expired. For every coupon I used, I would give her the savings.

I never saw a girl so inspired in my life. Every coupon book that arrived in the mail was given a thorough inspection. She breathlessly awaited the Sunday paper to see what goodies were hidden within sales pages.

Of course, you and I both know coupon savings won't make my little girl rich; however, she quickly learned a few bits of reality along the way. She discovered most coupons are just ways to advertise particular brands, not necessarily a way to save money. More than one item was still more expensive with the coupon than other equally sufficient brands at full price. She learned to read labels and comparison-shop for ingredients and weights, rather than name-brand labels and possible savings with coupons.

She also figured out why parents never seem to have any spare change. "Boy, mom?after we buy all the things we need, like toilet paper, dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, and chocolate, there's nothing left!"

I agreed. That's when I was finally able to talk with her seriously and sensibly about her holiday wish list. I told her I was buying her a separate portfolio at BUYandHOLD - one of her own - and I would invest twenty-five dollars per month toward any stock she wanted over the next year. The grand total for this gift would be $300, but I could budget this item since it would be made in monthly payments rather than one large lump sum (and it wouldn't be a credit card payment with interest added).

Then, I agreed to buy her contact lenses - after her braces came off. That little deal granted me at least a six-month to a year or more reprieve on adding that cost to my living standards (her braces are paid off this month, but I'm not about to have them come off until I've had my money's worth!).

We then discussed other possibilities for her wish list. She tallied up all her parents, stepparents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and decided to ask for $25 from each person. This way, she would manage to obtain at least one - possibly two - items on her gift list. I happen to know most of her relatives will give her much more than $25, but I'm not one to put the gleam of greed in my daughter's eye (ho, ho, ho).

So - for now - I have one content daughter. She's musing over her choice of stocks for her stocking, and she's made sure everyone knows and understands her plan of attack for the upcoming gift-giving season.

She's also done the annual clean-sweep of her bedroom, gathering toys and items she no longer uses for donations to various toy-gathering charities. She made most of her gifts for her friends and family, which saved her (and her mother) from a costly holiday. After all, that's what this season is all about, right?

"Right, mom. But I still can't wait to get those things on my list! And, I just know the stock market will shoot through the roof this next year." (Move over, Alan Greenspan!)

"You won't be disappointed with no gifts under the tree?"

"Nope."

As she turned away from me, I caught the edge of a sly grin on her face. She knows I won't be able to live with myself if I leave her empty-handed this holiday season. She may be taller than me, but she's still my little girl.

Until Next Week,
Linda Goin