Frugality.

For people who know me, especially those who have traveled with me, they know one characteristic of me: frugality.

To tell the truth, I have to say that I grew up frugal, without knowing the word or being aware of the circumstances, for me it was normal, maybe it was beans in balls for lunch, refried for lunch, with chorizo for dinner. Egg with breadcrumbs and sauce for lunch, with sausage for dinner, with ham for dinner; I was never hungry, I was never short of food. For Christmas I ordered Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, Lando Calrissian and a Gamorran soldier arrived, when the wool arrived at the house, only these characters were left in Julio Cepeda, so my mother asked which were the good and which were the bad, she bought one of each. The silver cross with devils didn't arrive either, instead a used Vagabundo arrived, my parents tried their best to give me the best they could, although I didn't realize it.

Dad bought a truck until he had his business, so I traveled by truck all my school life, I bought my first car, an Atos, in installments until my third job at 27 years old. Throughout my childhood, adolescence and part of my youth, I did not feel poor, because I did not lack anything and the things that happened were normal for me, all my friends, all my neighbors, we were in the same conditions.

Reality hit me when I was at PwC, after I got married, my son was born and I began to pay for the house, when money was not enough, but God was always on my side, I never lacked people who helped me in one way or another and I am very grateful to them, I began to do well at work, I was never afraid to go from one job to another if it meant improving the family economy, because of them I am able to risk whatever is necessary.

The traveling began, first to CDMX when I was at PwC, then to Argentina when I was at Ternium, to Chicago when I was at Navistar, to Benton Harvor when I was at Whirlpool, to Europe when I was at Arcelor, to Kansas City when I started my current job; always traveling the same way: I've never been one to "beat the per diem," several times I've been told to indulge myself with good meals and dinners, of course I like them, of course I can do it and I know how to do it, but the truth is I don't need them and to some extent I consider them an unnecessary expense, at least when I'm traveling alone.

Yes, when we go among several people, I see it as part of socialization, living as a team, gaining experience, preparing for important meetings. I also don't care about brands when it comes to dressing, although of course, if you don't like to look good, the cost-benefit ratio simply doesn't suit me. It was great to comply with the dress code of the former Gonzalez Vilchis, then PwC, although as I said in another previous note, Whirlpool's radically shaped the style I like to work with, so I make it as comfortable as the dress code where I have worked will allow.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not stingy, when it comes to my children, my wife, the people who work with me, I'm as generous as my finances allow, I just don't like to spend more than I have to.

What has allowed me to be that way is to be able to give my children the best education, to be able to pay the mortgage on a house in a good location, and to be able to give my family what they need.

Being prudent, frugal, avoiding waste, extravagance, are life concepts that are consistently applied at work: optimizing resources, avoiding waste, wasting resources, doing more with less, being productive.

Have a great and frugal week!

Cheque.