Seriously though, I did my fair share of wasteful spending growing up as well. I think everyone has at some point. One thing we as adults have failed at (myself included) is instilling good spending habits in our kids. I'm just as guilty of doing what I could to give my kids what they wanted growing up. In some ways it shows but not always. Both my kids, as adults, will work for what they want but what they want may not always be practical. My son is as tight as bark on a tree some times and can squeeze a penny into a nickel when he really wants something.

The true mark of a man is not how he conducts himself during times of prosperity, but how he conducts himself during times of adversity.