Could You Raise $2,000 in a Pinch?

Ricedelman.com ^ | September 2011 | Ric Edelman

[oh8eleven]

If your roof sprung a leak ... would you be able to write a check to cover such an emergency?
Depends where you live. In the 'burbs, you DIY, or write the check.
In the 'hood, you just ask for someone else's money to fix it (write a check? LOL ...).

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Kip, i don't want to hijack the thread, it is important, but here are two related links, as well. I have added your link to my saved folder. Thanks for posting.

3/4 Americans Living Paycheck to Paycheck

17 Signs...

[Gay State Conservative]

My Dad.a child of the Depression,taught me to always live below your means.He taught me this lesson by example,not with lectures.My Dad was clearly "upper middle class" for all of *my* life but he and my Mom clearly struggled in the early years of their marriage.My Dad,for the last 40 years of his life,wore Timex watches (the $15 variety) despite having been able to afford something *much* more expensive.He always drove Oldsmobiles despite his ability to afford something *noticeably* more expensive.He always wore expensive suits because his job required it but otherwise...no expensive clothes,jewelry or anything else.

I'm a lot like my Dad.I've always lived well below my means and,as a result,could easily handle emergency dental work,roof repair or car breakdown.

[Safetgiver]

I never expected Nubile young Nymphs to feed me grapes while I lay on silken sheets ...YOU DON’T???? I’m shocked!

[mylife]

God bless us cheap bastards.
No one ever got rich writing a lot of checks.

[mylife]

I don’t know how you rich people sleep at night!

“On top of a large pile of money with many beautiful women” LOL

[Jeff Chandler]

Could I pinch $2000.00?

[OldPossum]

...I once thought I’d give it to United Way (now it would go to the Race Pimps), the Church (Catholics who educated me would give it to Brazil or Argentina or some other African shithole) or the Protestants who would espouse the queers.

Those listings are the extent of organizations to which you would make donations? You sure have a limited imagination.

[tbw2]

Agreed. And his Financial Peace University program should be mandatory for college students.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

It’s worse than it seems, because many people live a month ahead on their credit cards. If something goes wrong with their cards, they are instantly, say -$2000. So to raise $2000, they would have to raise $4000.

[Yaelle]

I had that example too from my parents. In fact, a lot of people at my schools would be decked out in expensive latest fashions but not us, so I thought we were poor! My mom had to explain to me sometimes that those families spent everything they made on those fancy cars and clothes. She’d whisper that dad earned 10x what their fathers earned.

They never had a brand new car until in their 70s. They had zero luxuries except a few pieces of art that gave mom pleasure, and some really nice trips that they really enjoyed. They did buy properties, two vacation homes that they get a lot out of. And have proven better investment than the market.

[Vermont Lt]

Can I count what is usually in my wallet? Then no problem. Fifteen minutes, if the bank is open. Or, I can use a debit card? You take gold?

I couldn’t always...but I am older and I lived through a couple of episodes of no ATMs. Two months worth? Yup...got that too.

[ozzymandus]

I know people who couldn’t come up with $500 if their lives depended on it. Yet they seem to have everything everybody else does.

[Safetgiver]

I don’t have to imagine anything. I KNOW whatever organization I would it give to would take a hell of a lot of it to pay the CEO, the delivery companies and the regular graft. The slugs that would receive the largesse would spend it on shit or sell it for drugs, liquor or TV’s. Scratch, fight and educate yourself as I had to. I’ve given a $1000 envelope to veterans’s trying to make ends meet, but they seem to want the never ending gravy train also.

[Kip Russell]

I know people who couldn’t come up with $500 if their lives depended on it. Yet they seem to have everything everybody else does.

Some of my sister's friends are this way; they take advantage of every government program under the sun, and they never want for anything...because they're "poor".

In the mean time, I work for everything I own...and for what other people own, as well.

[roadcat]

I've always lived well below my means and,as a result,could easily handle emergency dental work,roof repair or car breakdown.

Congrats, you're doing it right. We do the same. We could afford new cars every year, but drive 20-year-old ordinary cars. Same goes for property and possessions. We do all our own remodel and fix-it repairs. My debt-ridden sisters say that if they had my money, they'd drive Jaguars and wear expensive jewelry. Which is why they're poor and in debt. We passed these concepts to our own now-grown children, which they apply for their young families. Live below your means, and do-it-yourself (and hide what you do have). Also avoid fancy vacations, a waste of money. Plenty of cheap places to visit and enjoy.

[OldPossum]

Yep, you sound like someone who is just not generous and develops all these rationales for not giving to any charity. All charities are crooked operations; that’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?

[sheana]

That’s exactly what savings are for.......emergencies. Otherwise why have them?
But saying that I know a whole lotta people who would have trouble coming up with an extra couple of hundreds.

[sheana]

I am 58 and retired. Hubby is 61 and retired. We are at the point where we reasonably can have what we want, jewelry, cars, etc.
When we were younger we were responsible, worked our tails off to make us comfortable now. While we were doing that everyone else in the family was out partying and having fun. Now we can afford what we want and they are all living hand to mouth. They still don’t get it.
Now I am determined to spend what I want I don’t see the point in living frugally just to leave it all to someone.