Posted on 03/15/2014 11:53:43 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
....”if their net bottom line is better off than the “rich guy” with the car payments and credit cards in his wallet”....
Good statement...things really aren’t what they appear to be.
I live within my means and hopefully by summer will be debt free, maybe sooner in fact.
I know how it feels to have just one credit card to pay off now...less than a grand.... Amazing to have such a sense of freedom. Am going to celebrate when the last one goes!
Congrats. Make an extra push if you can.
NO DEBT!
I’ve been that way for a long time, it truly is refreshing, and if you want to know what freedom is, that is it. Took some hard work to do it. But worth it all. Still living completely within my means, older cars, eat at home, occasional movie or special occasion dinner out, but not often. We prefer to barbeque after church with family and friends - now that is fun. Almost every Sunday. Everyone brings something. Sometimes we meet at the park so kids go wild.
Debt free is only part of it. We have been debt free for many years, but the cost of everything keeps going up and up and up and our income... not so fast.
The other step of course is to save your money.
I had a rental house a couple years ago. One woman moved out and left dozens of boxes in the garage. After the waiting period I had the fun of disposing of her unwanted boxes and they were filled with clothes. Unworn with tags on many. She was broke and on every welfare imaginable so could afford the latest fashions every season.
That looks like a shopping center not far from my neighborhood. Storefront after storefront: vacant, and with no new tenants. Across the street from it: another few empty storefronts. This is in a “nice” neighborhood.
Incidentally, in that same shopping center are two juice bars (why two?). In one of them I saw a number of people who didn’t seem to be part of the health-conscious demographic. I then saw that one or two of them were showing their cell phones to the cashier when they placed their orders. As it turned out, the juice bar (part of a chain) was offering some downloadable coupon for free drinks, and these people were showing their cell phone screens to the cashier to pick up their free stuff.
Put gas back prices when W was in office.....they’ve increased by over 80% since junior took over.
Thank you...and I intend to push...which is exactly why I’m close to being debt free now.
One thing I found less difficult than thought...I stopped spending on anything but what I really needed no matter how good the deal.... in my mind was “what you spend is going to slow you down another month from your goal, so is it worth it?”. It worked!
My brother bought a beautiful home in the south....he and his wife decided to forgo any changes they wanted to make to the property and instead pay their house fully off beforehand. It took them 11 years and more than worth the sacrifice. Now they’re having fun planning the changes...new fence...extending the laundry room..etc.etc ...and this Mortgage Free!
You are right about not buying what you really don’t need and putting the money towards the house instead. For me that meant no money in vending machines, no coffee from the convenience store, nothing spent on anything but absolute necessities.
My friends used to rib me about it. My house is paid off and their’s is not. They now complain and tell me I have it easy.
We made the move to debt free about 10 years ago. Allowed me to retire early.
Oh exactly!.....
My “treat” on pay day was $1.00 pkg. of miniature Musketter candy bars for a long time!
It really becomes challenging to find other ways to save money you’d otherwise spend. THAT becomes your focus...also how you can improvise....
I stopped buying all cleaning products except Ammonia... Changed from shopping Major Grocery stores to Aldi’s and $stores....amazed how much I saved!
Stopped heating rooms except the living area....drive an older, smaller car. Moved to a smaller apartment...(cozier too)....no vacations out of town, rather go to State park 20 minutes away..Free!
The idea was cut, cut cut, cut,....and it sure worked for me...though at times I have missed some things the sacrifice has sooo paid off! All I have to do is look at my checkbook and “do not touch accounts” and smile....widely!
You heat rooms?!!! Well, okay, if you live where it gets really cold that's okay.
Yes...cold here still...had more than my share of below zero temps this winter.
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