Why do we save money for a "rainy day?"
By mend3z
@mend3z (52)
June 12, 2011 2:47pm CST
Just wondering what you fellow MyLotters spend money on when the weather is bad according to the saying "save money for a rainy day."
What made me wonder this is that it has been raining here all day and I haven't spent any money as opposed to the rest of the week which has been good weather and I have spent money.
I have been thinking about this and I don't feel this is abnormal - normally if the weather is bad I am more likely to stay in which is free.
Is there any activity which costs money that people only do on a rainy day?
2 people like this
9 responses
@marapplestiffy (2182)
• Philippines
12 Jun 11
it's a figure of speech...not to be taken literally
"rainy days" refer to times of great distress...like losing a job, or getting sick...
"rainy days" refer to times of great distress...like losing a job, or getting sick...
@KingLobster (219)
• United States
12 Jun 11
I believe that the saying is more of a metaphor rather than meant to be taken literally. In other words, I don't believe that it is meant to be said that you spend more or less depending on the weather. Instead, the saying is intended to mean that you should save more money for when things go wrong in life (aka you have a rainy day).
There is at least some reason to believe that some people would actually spend less during a rainy day though. After all, who likes to get out in the rain to get shopping done?
@KingLobster (219)
• United States
15 Jun 11
That is a good point. You might not have to deal with fighting away as many other customers in order to get the things that you are looking for. At the same time, you are going to have to remember to stay safe on the roads. When the rain is coming down like that, it can be difficult to drive safely.
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
13 Jun 11
Hi mend3z, "saving money for a rainy day" is a metaphor. It is an expressions used to remind you to save money for hard times. If you have extra money and is spending it uselessly it would be wise to save it for an ememergency, at a time when you will need the money, and it will be there for you to easily obtain.
@mend3z (52)
•
18 Jun 11
OK thanks for commenting on this, I used to be really bad for spending money uselessly but am getting better now. I think it comes with age and responsibility's, everyone used to say that when I was at school it would be the best days of my life and I never believed them.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
13 Jun 11
I have heard this saying a lot, and my parents used to say it because when we were on holiday, if it was raining they would take my brother and I to one of the amusement parks on the holiday camp and allow us to spend a fair bit of money on the machines there. I don't go outdoors if it is raining, but I won't spend any money at all as I tend to just sit indoors and catch up with whatever had been on television that day rather than going out and spending money, so that saying doesn't really mean anything to me in the every day sense of the term.
@polaris77 (2040)
• Bacau, Romania
13 Jun 11
"A rainy day'' should be interpreted in this case as a figure of speech,and it refers to the hard times we inevitably have to go through at some points in our lives.Anyway,if I have enough money it doesn't matter to me how bad the weather is,life is good,but to be able to do that it isn't a bad idea to save as much as we can cause you never know when a "rainy day" will come.
@mend3z (52)
•
18 Jun 11
Finally someone who agrees with me that if you have enough money life is good! Lot's of people say money can't buy you happiness. I agree with this to a certain extent but feel that you do need money to have a good, enjoyable life. It is also nice to be successful in life, lot's of people seem to claim benefits all of their life which I think is completely unacceptable.
@murkie (1103)
• Philippines
13 Jun 11
actually, the "rainy day" part doesn't literally mean it is actually raining outside. it's just a figure of speech which could mean "during a period in your life that you are at a crisis (just opposite of a "sunny day").
i think it is derived from the behaviour of ants who store/stock up foods during dry weather. so that come rainy days, they'd have their hills all filled up with food to last the rainy season. look up for the fable of the ant and the grasshopper. 
oh, and welcome to mylot.
oh, and welcome to mylot.@murkie (1103)
• Philippines
16 Jun 11
thanks for the remark.. and thanks for picking me for best response.
in my country, the story of the grasshopper and the ant is discussed at grade school. i couldn't relate to its meaning that time.. i was a kid! and i trated it like it was just a simple story.
but years later, i came to realize the different values of the ants when it comes to "saving for the rainy days". 
in my country, the story of the grasshopper and the ant is discussed at grade school. i couldn't relate to its meaning that time.. i was a kid! and i trated it like it was just a simple story.
but years later, i came to realize the different values of the ants when it comes to "saving for the rainy days". 
@Savvynlady (3684)
• United States
13 Jun 11
What they mean by saving for a rainy day is when things are just not going great in your life and you have something monetary to fall on. that's what mean. Instead of spending all you got, save some for down the road.
@mend3z (52)
•
15 Jun 11
That's good to know, just out of curiously are you any good at saving or do you spend everything you have? I am really bad with money but the rest of my family are complete opposites! If we go to the pub I will be the only person who gets a round in. I don't like being tight but I suppose it is just looking out for yourself.
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
26 Jul 11
When the weather is bad I usually stay in, if I don't it's usually a necessity that I go out, so it's either groceries or work or something like that. When it rains I might watch a movie inside or play a video game, things I've either gotten, borrowing, or bought before, so I guess i'm "utilizing" at this time.
