Boy Scout Troop 325
Scoutmaster Minute
Thrifty
May 16, 2005
Larry Polyak, Scoutmaster

A Scout is thrifty. We don't seem to hear much talk about this, one of the 12 points to the scout law. Think to yourself for a minute... what word in your mind means the same thing as "thrifty"? <pause> I'll bet many of you are thinking "cheap", right? Many people equate being thrifty with being cheap. But I have a better synanym for thrifty, and that is: "smart". Yes, being thrifty means being smart more than it means being cheap. Thrifty means getting the best value, not the cheapest price. You can do this by researching your purchase to find the right product for your purpose. For example, Erik and I just went shopping to buy some football cleats for him. You can get more expensive ones that have replaceable screw-in cleats, or you can get ones with non-replaceable molded cleats. In this case, we think he will just need them for one year, so the less expensive molded kind are better. Or say you want to buy hiking boots, or a backpack. If you just need them for one outing and you are still growing, it doesn't make sense to buy the best. But if you think you'll be able to use them for several years, it might be better to spend a little more and get something that will last.

Being thrifty can mean using resources such as Consumer Reports or other evaluation services or websites. Several website these days have areas where users can post feedback on certain products. I find it very helpful to review these when making a purchase. Just the other day I went to buy an accessory for a tool. I was going to go with a name brand that I knew was usually reliable, but 8 out of 10 users said that this one item did not live up to the company's reputation and that it broke after 1 or 2 uses. It even steered me to a competitive product which I eventually bought, even though it cost a little more.

Being thrifty goes beyond just spending money as well. It means using other things like time, energy, and natural resources wisely and efficiently. In Scouting, there is a backpacking principal called "Leave No Trace". In a way, this is being thrifty with our environment. So thrifty can also mean "not wasteful".

I have to laugh when I watch some of you younger guys build a fire at campouts. It seems that you think bigger is always better. I have brought the firewood for a campfire on several outings, but I have yet to bring back any unused pieces. In fact, the cardboard box I bring it in often ends up in the fire as well. Maybe that's why our tents have metal poles. Anyway, we'll have to work on that. There is an old Indian saying regarding campfires. It says "Indian build small fire. Keep warm huddling close to fire. White man build big fire. Keep warm gathering wood to fuel fire."

So, let's all try to be true to this one-twelfth of the scout law and be thrifty and smart.

Thank you for listening.