Recipient: Natasha Tripple Occupation: Executive Assistant to the President, Student Leadership Network Responded On: January 31, 2005 Bill Received At: Bank One 6650 South Stony Island Avenue Chicago Originally Dropped At: Sears 1334 East 79th Street Chicago On: January 28, 2005

 

Natasha Tripple's Comments

Does your generation view money differently than your parents' generation?
Definitely. My parents, I think, had a better view of money and saving and that sort of thing. My generation is more, “Hey, I got some money, let's go to the store.” While I'm not particularly that person, I do have savings accounts, savings bonds, that sort of thing. But I don't think my generation views money as being important and something you actually have to hold onto a little bit longer.

What is the worst and best thing you've ever done in your life to earn money?
The worst thing I ever did to earn money was working in a lawyer's office sometime after college and I was an office clerk. It just seemed like everything was thrown upon me. “Hey you do this, hey you come here.” Their whole attitude in the office was very unprofessional and kind of demeaning. It was demeaning because they didn't see you as being on their level. You were just like someone beneath them. So they didn't greet you in the morning or say, “Good morning,” or anything. They'd walk past and say, “Hey, I need this.” Just busy, busy, busy, but never taking into account what you were doing and how you were actually helping them.

The best thing I've ever done to earn money was to leave that place and find a better job at a non-profit organization that worked with women to help them start their own businesses. I started out as the office clerk and moved up to executive assistant and I was there for ten years. It was really great. That's basically been my whole work history.

I can wave my magic wand and you can be rich, or you can be famous, or you can be very accomplished in something you do, but you only get one.
I would rather be very accomplished in something I do. I think people place a lot of unnecessary value on money. While we need money obviously to exist and work day to day, it's not everything. Money's not everything. You can be the richest person in the world and be very unhappy, not have friends, or you think you have friends, but they're there for the money and so I choose to be more accomplished in something.

If you had extra money, you won the lottery, or some big pile of money came your way, what's the most rewarding use you would make of it?
The most rewarding use I'd make of money that I happened to come upon would definitely be to put back into my home. I am a homeowner and so definitely I'd find something around the house to do to make my home of more value. I'd like to have my kitchen done for instance. And then secondly, my kids' education. I'd put money towards that. I have three little girls so I'd definitely put money toward their college.

Do you play the lottery sometimes?
No, I'm not a fan of the lottery or the casinos. I don't do any of that.

How come?
'Cause I don't like giving money away and not getting anything in return. I'm not a risk taker. I don't view that as something that's of any value to me, at all.

How do you economize?
I shop at Sam's Club, so things that I use often I definitely buy in bulk.

How do you splurge?
The way I splurge, I guess it's like every weekend, we'll eat out like just for the weekends, but during the week we cook dinners and have dinner at home. But every weekend we go out to eat. So that's the way I splurge.