My memories of my maternal grandfather Abuelo Ismael are stored deep inside my heart. He was a young single dad for a few years due to divorcing my grandmother. He became the sole custodial parent for my mom and her sister. My mom describes him as a handsome, average-height, and strong man. She said all the girls were in love with him. It was difficult managing a job and being a parent so he decided to remarry to provide for his daughters a mother figure. He married a sweet and humble girl from the neighborhood called Tita. They had a male child together, my uncle Johnny. My grandfather’s wife became a stepmother to my mother and her sister. He was a hard-working man who did all types of odd jobs until he landed his dream job of working for a major tuna company as a manager in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. He was a wonderful provider, father, and husband. He also was very good with his finances and left a small inheritance of $3,000 for each of his 3 adult children when he passed away.
I remember my grandfather at my 6th grade graduation. He was so proud of me and kept saying “Mi Nieta Mayor” which translates to my oldest grandchild or granddaughter. He taught me good financial habits and although I still have a long way to go, I often remember his advice.
He was always well-dressed, groomed, and polished. He said that you don’t need lots of shoes or clothes only a few excellent quality ones. His motto was “Lo barato sale caro” which means “Cheap items end up costing more money in the long run“. My grandfather took good care of his clothes and shoes. These always look like new. He also bought 3 cars in his lifetime (a white, red, and blue one to represent the Puerto Rican flag) and a home for his family all out of pocket.
He never acquired debt. He taught me that it is difficult to pay debt back so you just have to save for the things you desire. He highly discouraged borrowing from banks or credit cards. He was also very prepared for hurricane season emergencies with plenty of food in his pantry, water, and toiletries. He would often buy the most often used items in bulk. I miss my grandfather until this day but his financial advice is the most treasured.
