What is a Yankee?

"I'm a Yankee", I announced to the business director ofsubstitutions for ingredients that were then scare.
the dealership where I was buying a new car. He said,Regretfully, even when hard times strike today, these
"What's that?" I tried to condense Yankee frugality intocost and resource saving techniques generally do not
an easy answer, using the country's recent malaise ofseem to survive an economic upturn. People go right
maxed-out and overspent citizens as an example ofback to living "high off the hog" as their grandparents
what a Yankee is not. I'm not sure he "got it", but Iwould have described it, spending every available
purchased a vehicle rated the least expensive to owndollar.
in its class, with car payments of $189.00 per month.Thankfully, I am not one of them. Having seen
Physically, a Yankee resides in, or is from, the six Newadversity, I prepare for its return in the good times. I am
England states and upstate New York. Mentally, theyable to discard things without re-purposing them ad
are more difficult to pin down. The venerableinfinitum, and I have plenty of credit cards. Only one of
magazine Yankee once did an article "What it Meansthem has a balance over $1,000, however, and then
to be a Yankee" in which some traits were laid bare.not by much. I save money even when I have none. I
They include a built-in aversion to waste of any kind,use coupons, but more importantly, scour the Internet
which produces a lifestyle of reusing and repairingfor promotional discounts and codes. Getting 40% off
things until they are absolutely irreclaimable, andan already reduced item turns me on. Beating the
difficulty not picking up discarded items such as t-shirtsconsumerist system, or the big guys, is one of my life's
from the street. A Yankee definitely picks up changebiggest delights.
from the street. Yankees have trouble withIf you haven't been able to grasp what a Yankee is,
"disposables".the following story told by a highly respected guest
Yankees are savers and have a strong dislike ofminister at our church may help: He was doing a
credit of any kind. My late husband made fun ofcontract ministry or a few months' duration at a church
someone whose entire being was on credit, from thein Maine. During the coffee hour that follows the
suit he wore to his eyeglasses, his shoes and anyservice he noticed that one fellow was standing alone
accessories he might have. The point was that heto the side of the room. No one was speaking to him.
owned nothing outright. I recall my mother finally givingThis went on for several Sundays. Finally, the minister
in to time payments, as they were then called, for aasked, "What is wrong with Ralph that no one speaks
new washing machine. These individuals were fromto him?" None of the parishioners would answer his
the generation that didn't buy a house until they hadquestion, and equivocated as best they could.
20% down (or 5% for veterans) and then furnished itThe minister persevered in his questioning, wondering if
bit by bit as they could afford to.the man had committed some unspeakable
Certainly, the Great Depression of the 1930s had aabridgment of morality, etiquette or fellowship. He was
huge effect on those like my mother who lived throughclearly being shunned. Finally, after having asked the
it. When you did get some money, you put part of itquestion over and over again, one member bravely
aside for a "rainy day". Frugality became a way of life,divulged the reason why no one was speaking to
with women leading the charge in effecting householdRalph: "He dipped into capital." he whispered to the
economies. Cookbooks were written to assistminster.
homemakers in providing eggless cakes and other