@MDG
If you have read my many posts over the years you will find that Mrs. CTL and I do not come from privilege, but the middle class.
My parents afforded themselves of the free excellent college education offered by City and Hunter Colleges in the 1930s and bettered their lives. Yes, I went to an Ivy League University and Law School and paid for my education by working full time while in college.
We bought a 200 year old fixer upper and continually remodeled and added on, doing most of the labor ourselves. I built a successful private law practice, but still cut my own lawn, take out the trash, paint and do hone repairs and do virtually all the cooking and laundry (Mrs. CTL has been ill for a number of years).
The money we make is used for both tzedaka and ensuring our family is with us. All of our grandchildren are here for the summer, not away at expensive camps, as well as Pesach and all the Yomin Tovom, The amenities of the compound (as we call it, as MIL lived in the house adjoining us, and SIl a few doors down, and not married daughter and family there) cost far less than than camp and expensive vacations.
I drive a car that I bought new 15 years ago, My suits are made to measure, I’m not an off the rack size, but I am as likely to wear a suit made 12 years ago as this year. Good is good, buy the best you can afford and nothing that is a fad and it will last, sage words from my OMA.
To put it simply, we don’t waste or squander money. Mrs CTL and I having started and sold a number of successful businesses (and we had a few failures as well) has enabled us to contribute to Jewish and secular institutions for the betterment of the community.
As for being a Democrat, I find that political party is far more in accord with the concept of Tikun Olam than the Republicans. I vote candidate, not party. This past November I voted for 4 Republican candidates as well as 9 Democrats when I filled out my ballot.
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