Stop living beyond your means! Stupid is, as stupid does.

reply to post by SavedOne


If only more people had your discipline. I know I didn't as credit cards were my path to destruction back in the Eighties. At the time, bills were piling up faster than I could pay them. I was a financial retard.

I think credit is my PTSD.

I still think about getting one from time to time when I get a offer in the mail, but always shred the application before I succumb to the temptation.

I will agree that Dawg's rant is alittle harsh. I understand that everyone has there own circumstances. Me myself and my girlfriend went on the road for over 8 years in our jobs. First four were devoted to paying off all of our debts. We are now trying to work on retirement. This being said I have had so many people work for me that are always broke because they have to have the newest truck,are a new bass boat. I really like the ones who are in there early 20's but have already bought a 200,000 dollar house. I know there are people out there who are truley struggling. Some due to medical bills, failed buisness,and corporate greed. But i do have to agree there is a certain percentage that feel they are due to much to quick.We have done a great dis-service by telling everyone that college is the only way.It is great to have people that can draw a huge building are solar plant, but it will alway take many more to build it properly. And no I dont just mean labors. There will always be a need for skilled people. Try and find a good carpenter or electrician anymore. Please understand I know everyone sees hard times. Been there Done that. But some are more self-inflicted than others.

Skilled labor, large savings, low mortgage, no credit debt beyond a couple grand on a used truck and insurance with a 5000$ deductable. Add one six day hospital stay for chemical arteritis and heart attack and follow with an injury due to a mechanical failure and all of it is gone and with it a career and ability to reliably work. I know...What a dumbass!

Originally posted by AmericanPitBull
Add one six day hospital stay for chemical arteritis and heart attack and follow with an injury due to a mechanical failure and all of it is gone and with it a career and ability to reliably work. I know...What a dumbass!

That possible (more than likely) hospital stay is just what my JIC fund is for. I don't touch it and continually add to it each payday. I do have insurance as well, and unfortunately I pay the top price due to the fact that I am single and…getting older. (But I do have it if need be.)

Actually, I don't need to work, but I do it to avoid the fixed income lifestyle and it gets me out of the house. It allows for a more social life as well. What can I say...I like people. mostly.

People complain about being used by Corporations all the time...in my case, I think turnabout is fair play. I used my employment to get myself out of a debt ridden hole...nothing more. I also invested in various things, from the market to weapons and antiques and have made a positive return on all. I did this through research and education.

My rant was actually the first two lines. After that was basically a story to show people that there is hope. They just have to recognize it.

Agreed!!

I am also tired of hearing people complain about their jobs. If you have work be THANKFUL!

I have always been a bargain shopper. I don't have credit cards and only use cash.

I was raised that if you want something you work for it and earn it. Paying with plastic isn't earning it. There is something about saving your money to buy something you wanted.

There are many times a CC would have come in handy but it wasn't really needed. I now have a prepaid CC that I load when I need to use a CC.

I shop second hand stores and find everything I could need in them. Fortunately where I live we have a ton of them and they have a great selection. I bought 3 shirts the other day that were 1.50 and they each still had tags on them.

Give me 20 bucks and a thrift store and I can find a lot!

Originally posted by TDawgRex
I’m getting tired of people complaining that they are having trouble making ends meet in their posts, just to find out that they later on tell us that they once had the world by the balls. And now they don’t.

Cry me a river.

I gave up credit cards back in the Eighties and haven’t had one since. I live cash only. I live within my means and save for my wants. This is just common sense.

Have there been times I wish I had a credit card? Oh yea, you betcha. Circumstances have arisen that have drained my bank account at times, which made life difficult. But I stuck to my guns, so to speak and dug my way out of the mess. There have been times that I have cut out cable, internet stopped using my A/C, etc and lived on basically rice and beans for months at a time.

I retired at 48 and have a part time job (that pays quite well) that helps alleviate the cost of living. But I don’t spend on things that I can’t afford. I make a list of things I need and want and I SAVE FOR THEM.

What is so hard about that, other than exercising patience?

And I have savings for those unknown things as well. I call it my JIC fund. And it is larger than my other accounts. I learned my lessons that life has taught me.

All it takes is a firm discipline.

I do agree to a certain extent, but what about people like us.

We are both students and have a little girl. It's very hard and we barely scrape by. I travel 2 hours to Uni and 2 hours back, and my partner travels 1 hour there and back. We bought the same shopping for a year which cost £60, it now costs £90. The gas/electric used to cost £60/month, they put it up today to £110/month. It used to cost me £18/week travel, it now costs me £22/week.

I'll give you a rough idea of our bills (note these are not ALL of the bills but the essential ones...

Phone/Internet: £30/month (it's a must, we both need internet for uni)
TV Licence: £15/month
Gas/Electric: £110/month
Shopping: £360/month
Travel: £176/month (£22 each per week)
Rent: £400/month
Nursery: £600/month (£400 discount = £200/month)
Total: £1291/month ($1,974) on basic living.

Point being, I was living within my means, I'm not doing anything differently, but the world around me is changing and costing more.

reply to post by scottlpool2003


You do have a point. When I first hit the job market at a young age, jobs were scarce, but money did seem to go further. Not much, but a bit. I could afford beer at least for the weekend.

I also had thirty years to get where I am at.

I’ve been down financially twice before and worked my out each time. But my problem was that I forgot the rough times. Never again.

Times nowadays are definitely rough, and they will be a whole lot rougher for those who don’t prepare. I’m not saying that my plan is the best, because it isn’t. But it worked for me.

You sound like you are responsible with your finances and I believe just due to that mindset alone, you will probably make it and eventually have a better life. Just don’t ever forget the hard times like I did.