My Parents Have Fiscally Responsible Children

Much as I had hoped, my beloved and generous aunt (who is not beloved merely because she is generous), though she couldn't make the family Christmas celebration (she and her new girlfriend had a cozy Christmas for two at home in the Bay Area), sent presents in the form of big fat checks (folded up in homemade cards, which is one reason my aunt is beloved). Predictably, my sister and I were thrilled.

I asked my sister, a sophomore in college, what she was planning to spend her newfound money on.

"A car," she said. "I have almost $3,000 saved up. You can get a pretty good used car for that."

And then she asked me the same question, and I told her I'd be using the money to make up the difference between my savings and the minimum to open a Roth at Vanguard. And then we had a good giggle over the fact that we were both putting found money to use in sensible, responsible fashion, and not just blowing the whole thing on clothes. I guess our parents did something right.