Bedtime Story (2/3/2016)

At the moment, I have two money-saving pots.  The first is for my annual New Year's Eve celebrations at Butlin's and the second is for a trip my best friend and I are planning to take to Disney Land.  So, saving up for something special has been very much on my mind, lately, hence the subject of this story!  To listen to this week's story as a podcast, please click here!

"Save Your Pennies!"

Tilly's Granny came to stay, one sunny afternoon.

She arrived smiling, humming a merry tune.

"I've bought you a present," Granny said.  "Just wait until you see!

It's something very special, just for you, from me."

Tilly grinned excitedly, wondering what she'd get.

A doll? A game? Something awesome, she could bet.

But when Granny reached into her bag, it made Tilly frown.

For all she brought out was a strange, clay pig. Tilly's smile turned upside down.

"It's to save your pennies," Granny said.  "I've put a pound in there."

Tilly tried to be grateful, but all she could do was stare.

"It doesn't have a hole for the money to come back out,"

She told her Granny, as she gave a little pout.

"That's because you have to keep it for as long as you can,"

Came the quick reply from Tilly's wise old Gran.

"And then you break it open, to see how much you've got.

And if you save your pennies, it's sure to be a lot."

"But I only get a pound a week," Tilly then protested.

"That's all my pocket money and I don't want to invest it.

It's for me to spend on magazines, or perhaps a pack of sweets.

You can't expect me to have to go without my treats!"

Granny laughed to herself and patted Tilly's head.

"You can still treat yourself, just save some, too," she said.

She smiled, to show her granddaughter that she wasn't trying to trick her.

"If you put a bit away each week, you can save for something bigger!"

"Fifty pence a week might not sound like a lot.

But over the months, the money soon adds up in that pot.

And instead of buying a magazine or a little chocolate bar,

You'll soon have enough for a doll house or a remote-controlled car."

Tilly's eyes widened then, coming round to Gran's idea.

"We'll give you extra now and then," Granny added, in her ear.

"And if you save your pennies, when you come to smash that pig,

You'll have saved enough to buy yourself something really big!"

Tilly beamed, thinking of the necklace she'd been wanting to get for ages.

"Sometimes I see pennies on the floor in funny places.

If I pick them up, I can save them in my pig!"

Tilly was so excited, her feet twitched into a jig.

And so the funny little pig took pride of place in Tilly's room.

She soon discovered there had been no need to feel such gloom.

She saved her pennies in the pig, until it grew so heavy

That Tilly knew the time had come to smash it - she was ready!

The coins came flooding out again and Tilly counted them all.

Then, she picked up the phone and gave her Gran a call.

Together, they went shopping, with the money Tilly saved.

Tilly bought her necklace, but there was something else she craved.

"Granny," Tilly said, as they wandered in and out of shops.

"I think I'd like to buy myself a brand new money box.

I never knew saving my pennies would turn out to be such fun!

And now the pig is gone, I think I'd like another one."

To this day, little Tilly saves spare coins that come her way,

Knowing she can treat herself to something cool one day.

And though she sometimes spends a little on a magazine or sweets,

Tilly still saves pennies for a bigger, cooler treat.

So, next time you see a penny, don't just pick it up for luck.

Save it somewhere special and those pennies soon add up!