No one could stretch a dollar like my mom, Lela Higgins. Dad always worked at least 2 jobs, but with 6 kids, money was tight. She taught us how to shop for quality at thrift stores, cook from scratch, and differentiate between a cheap price and a good value. The only thing that made her happier than finding a bargain was the bragging rights that came with it. Her favorite bargain story was about lipstick. She was, among other things, a “lady Marine” (yes, they did call them lady marines!) in WWII. One cosmetics company made a lipstick shade called “military red”, which they provided free to all women in the armed forces. After the war, she bought their lipstick for the rest of her life. Free lipstick became the standard by which all bargains were measured. She has been gone many years now, and every bargain I find and red lipstick I see reminds me of her. Here is a beautiful picture of her wearing some fabulous lipstick.