Lessons in economics from Grandma Debbie

By Amitabh Sharma

“She was always thrifty,” said Kay*, as she spoke about her grandmother Debbie*. “She always used to find ways to earn and save money.”

Grandma Debbie could give earning, saving and investment advice, and some key lessons in microeconomics and money management. She wasn’t any trained banker by any stretch of imagination or acquired degrees in finance, but Grandma Debbie possessed one formidable trait – that of common sense (which we hear is uncommon these days … but more on that some other time).

She was born and raised in a rural parish of St. Ann in northern Jamaica – a girl of the soil, she grew up among fruit laden trees, and fields full of vegetables and ground produce. Mother Nature’s blessings were in abundance – and that’s where Debbie got ‘schooled’.

Since there was plenty of fruits and vegetable in her yard, and instead of them going to waste, she called local higglers (vendors who sell fruits and vegetables), and sold the produce to them. Debbie gave people a means for earning livelihood, and in turn created an ecosystem of micro entrepreneurs.

Her house was on the main road in the town, with a lot of foot traffic and cars passing by. She got in touch with the local municipality and got permission to install a billboard on her property. This was passive income right away. Innovation 101.

Debbie was multifaceted, and was always on a quest to acquiring new skillsets. “There didn’t seem to be a thing grandma couldn’t do,” said Kay.

Later she moved to the capital city of Kingston. One of the first things Debbie did was to purchase a house in a newly developed community. Now that she had moved to the city, she rented out two rooms at the back of her house, she got company and also monthly rental income.

“She taught herself to sew dresses, and became the ‘official’ fashion consultant for family and the community at large,” said Kay. “Everyone wanted her expert advice on color coordination, and the trending styles.

Debbie would earn and save, little at a time, or as Jamaicans say ‘every mikle makes a muckle’ (little drops make an ocean). She saved for holidays, family holidays and buying things for the family. She had three children, and one day one of her sons expressed his desire to learn to play the guitar. Debbie, who used to travel to the United States to meet family and friends, on one of the trips, waltzed out of the airport with a guitar slung on her shoulder.

Her son later went on to become a musician.

Debbie’s abode was where her grandchildren came after school; she cooked for them, and ensured that they did their homework and stayed till their parents picked them up after school.

“Grandma’s house has a longstanding history,” said Kay. “We used to stay there after school, and later her great grandchildren did the same.”

Debbie lived a wholesome, contented life. She had the Midas touch when it came to finding sources of income, and she always found one. She was active in her community, in her Church and also helped those in need. She left behind a legacy of entrepreneurship, self-sustainability and self-reliance. The takeaway from Debbie’s life is that we don’t need much to live a comfortable life, and that happiness is not in material things but how many lives we can touch and make a difference to.

Hope those of us glued to our smart devices, learn to imbibe traits that Grandma Debbie and her generation left for us. For those were the days where life’s simple pleasures were appreciated, memories cherished and world became one family.

*Names changed upon request

(The column Postcard from Jamaica appears every Wednesday.)

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