AN, I think the type of purchases today is also causing people to want larger reserves. Most sales are foreclosures, with no warranty. I know I held back an additional chunk of change because I couldn’t turn the water on until after escrow was closed, energizing the main line was a very tense experience, positioning friends and relatives at every sink and bathroom. I accidentally watched Red October on cable a few days before and had nighmares about pipes busting and floods, not to mention my fear of cemented drain pipes that I had read about. It’s like going “all in” before seeing the flop. Most piggies are such planners that it borders on mental illness, spinning the wheel of chance isn’t something we are comfortable with.

I do envy the loyalty that your family has, perhaps it’s cultural or perhaps I just dislike some of my relatives because there a couple that I don’t even let in the house let alone loan them money.