Reason 4: She Is So Not Good In Handling Money (1)

Money.

My family is only a low class family, earning what we spend.

So an allowance of a hundred pesos a day is already the highest I can get.

If I deduct all my expenses for the day, the remaining balance would be my 'free money', the money I can use for anything I want except when there are emergency situations that needed cash.

My jeepney and tricycle fare covers 60% of my allowance everyday. Another 20% would be spent on my snacks and food. The last 20% would hence be the 'free money' which can also be classified as other expenses.

So I try to earn money in any way possible for me to save more money.

"Rae, please stop walking already. Let's just find a tricycle that will take us to the Western Terminal," Ana exclaimed as she panted.

We are currently walking towards the Western Terminal. With us is Blessie, as her target location is also the terminal.

We live in the Districts in the Western Area of the Province, so the Western Terminal here in the capital city of the Province has the vehicles that will take us to our respective Districts, with a certain fare of course.

"Aish! The terminal is only that far, Ana. Why not save the money spent on the tricycle fare?" I asked while not yet stopping in walking.

As a child born in a poor family, I was raised with the awareness that money cannot be picked from a tree branch. So we need to be thrifty.

Life is hard. Money is important.

"You are so *kuripot, Rae! Don't you know that it's tiring to walk this far?" And here we go again with the ice queen who has deep dimples.

Who are you to call me kuripot?! I am not!

I'm just thrifty. It's a virtue.

Why can't they just see the importance of money and save it instead of spending needlessly?!

"We are just going to cross the pedestrian lane, turn left by that building then walk straight to the marketplace which is just beside the Western Terminal. It's so near!" Seriously. Why did I even walk with the rich kids?!

Ana is the youngest in their family. Of course she's spoiled by her elder siblings and mother.

Blessie is the second child of the family and the eldest daughter. Her mother works in the court and her father owns a vehicle company.

Both of them are rich kids. So why did they ever come with me in the first place?

"You're so kuripot, Rae. We're just going to spend seven pesos to pay the tricycle fare! And our baggage is so heavy," Blessie debated, waving the bags in her hands.

I looked over to her with my expressionless face.

"Every peso is important, Blessie. And besides, I don't have any money left aside from my jeepney fare. I need that seven pesos to go home. And, I'm really ashamed of my baggage, yeah?!" I answered back while trying to avoid a vein from popping.

She stopped in her tracks and pouted.

She might be a dramatic one, but she's still cute for me though.

She's carrying one small bag while Ana is also carrying the same. But Ana also has a small bag containing something mysterious.

And I don't want to further probe into that mysterious bag.

While I am carrying a back pack containing all of my big books, a sling bag containing my laptop, and my hands are carrying the bags of supplies needed for tomorrow's classroom program.

What I'm carrying is so light compared to what they are carrying.

Mind the sarcasm.

"Just let her be, Blessie. She won't be ABM's kuripot queen for nothing," Ana said as she smirked at me.

It instantly got my ire.

K-kuripot queen?!

Since when did they start calling me that?!

It's unacceptable!

I gnashed my teeth as I tried to ignore the source of my annoyance.

Calm down, Rae.

You're a law abiding citizen of the country. You must prevent yourself from strangling someone.

That's right. Calm down. They're not worth it for you to dirty your hands.

But…

"I'm not a kuripot!" I shouted back.

I don't even care if the surrounding people were staring at us because of our actions, especially since we are wearing the glorified uniform of our school.

"But it's not good to be overly thrifty, Rae. Sometimes, you should also learn how to be carefree and spend some money. Especially since you're also dragging us into this farce," Blessie said with a disdainful face.

My annoyance reached its peak.

Are you my mother?! Giving me a sermon like this?!

Why can't you people just try to save money?!

I'm trying to teach you guys an important life lesson!

Without money, you will never move on in life.

Resources and money, like familial support, are important for your own progress. It's what makes the world develop.

These rich brats would never understand the true meaning of despair. Hmmph! (Rae's true meaning of despair – having no money to pay for a fare going home. It also means that Rae would be stranded in the capital city without means of going home.)

And at last, we reached the Western Terminal.

~~~

*Kuripot – a trait of thriftiness, wherein someone does not spend money needlessly. But in this context, they are using it as a negative sign of thriftiness.