Lessons From Kitt Kittredge
January 14, 2009 by Katelyn Thomas
Filed under finances
I sat down with some little friends to watch Kitt Kittredge – an American Girl the other day and found more than a good movie. This movie is set in the Great Depression and has some great lessons for those of us who are struggling financially today or those of us who just want to be more thrifty.
When the movie starts, Kitt’s family seems to be thriving. Her dad has a car dealership and they are fairly well to do. Friends are struggling, though, and some of them are selling eggs to make ends meet. So, the first lesson from Kitt?
Every Little Bit of Extra Income Helps
Egg money wasn’t going to make these people rich. It wasn’t going to pay the mortgage. However, it did pay for food and a few necessities. For people who developed five or six little income streams like this, paying the mortgage was probably very possible.
As Kitt’s dad loses his dealership, he goes off to look for work. Suddenly, Kitt’s family risks losing the house, too. They need a way to earn money, and fast. Kitt’s mom looks at their assets and finds one that can be used to make money – the house itself.
Be Creative When Looking for Income Solutions
That big old house turned into a gold mine when Kitt’s mom turned it into a boardinghouse. Since it was a movie, there were new problems that endangered the house once again after they earned the cash, but they did get enough money from the boarders to save the house.
As Kitt tries to win a job as a reporter, she comes across a hobo camp. She takes the time to look at the camp and get to know the people living there. Something important was obvious to Kitt and her friends.
Work as a Team to Make Ends Meet
Those hobos had almost nothing. Yet, if someone found some food, he or she brought the food to the camp to help make soup. These destitute people looked out for each other and took every opportunity to help others. If they could survive in these dire circumstances, what could we accomplish if we worked together?
By the way, now that I’ve shared these lessons from Kitt Kittredge, you may be worried that the movie is one of those depressing moralistic stories. Not true. It is the story of a little girl with big dreams who has the determination and perseverance to help make them come true. The story just happens to be set in the Great Depression. And the end was so touching that grown men have claimed to be moved to tears.
Wonderful post today! There is A LOT to be said about “egg money,” or what we call today “found” money. Between rebates, saving change, selling on ebay and craigslist, etc. people today can find they can have a surprising income stream. Sure, not enough to pay a mortgage, but how about enough for an emergency or grocery fund? Great post – loved the movie, too!
Chris,
Glad you enjoyed it. It was a great movie, wasn’t it?