4 Reasons Why You Are Not Good with Money

4 Reasons Why You Are Not Good with Money

by | Mar 10, 2020 | Intentional Living, Living on Less, Parenting | 0 comments

4 Reasons Why You Are Not Good with Money

Do you believe that you are not good with money? Did you learn how to spend and save money at school?  Did you ever have a class in high school that talked about debt, interest, investments, and practical money tips?  

Well, I didn’t and most of us aren’t taught or exposed to how to deal with money in a positive way.  Most schools completely neglect to teach personal finances, how to balance a checkbook and basic money-management skills.

If children aren’t taught about finances and how to manage money wisely by their parents, they are going to have to learn the hard way. It’s not a surprise that most people make financial mistakes, especially when they are young, because they just don’t know any better.

 

4 Reasons Why You Are Not Good with Money 1

I remember during my first week of college there were tables set out by a few locals banks.  They were trying to reel in all the incoming freshman and any other college students with credit cards by using some cheap bait.  They tried to woo all of the broke college students with a free 6″ Subway sandwich and I almost fell for it.  A $3 sandwich was the entry point into a heap of financial mess.  

Banks and credit unions know that college students are an ideal target audience.  College students are young and finally have some independence.  Plus, they have no money and are paying for expensive tuition, books, food, and living expenses for the first time.  Of course, they’ll draw these newbies in with an offer they can’t resist even if it’s a frisbee or a crappy T-shirt they’ll never wear.

Now, I know laws have changed and banks and credit card companies can’t go onto campuses like they once did offering frisbees and subs for new sign-ups.  The CARD act is good first step. But how often do we get sucked into some ‘amazing offer’ that really isn’t that amazing?  If we don’t know any better, we’ll probably make a lot of poor financial decisions just like a typical college student.

4 Reasons Why You Are Not Good with Money

ONE

Lack of Financial Knowledge

Knowledge is power if acted upon.  If children, teenagers, and even adults for that matter learned the in’s and out’s of how money works and principles for building wealth, our society would change. 

Could you imagine if people were educated on the power of compound interest in terms of investments and debt? The amount of debt and financial blunders would most likely decrease or be completely avoided.

People would literally run away from every cash advance store in the country.  Maybe people would fully understand how much interest their student loans will accumulate over time.  Fewer people would run themselves into debt.

So, if you don’t know much about money management, immerse yourself in research.  You can find most answers online.  Check out my posts and other resources that will help you understand these concepts more.  And if you know someone who is good with their finances, ask them what they are doing.  I’m sure they would love to share and be a support to you.

 

TWO

 Schools Don’t Require Financial Literacy

Schools aren’t equipping students to understand and manage finances either. There are only five states in the U.S. that require all high schoolers to take a personal finance class.  Those five states are Utah, Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia. Clearly, this is a problem. It’s no surprise that most people are not good with money, because they weren’t taught about finances.

We can’t rely on schools to teach children everything they need to know in life.  As a parent myself, I want to educate my kids on finances because it’s important.  I want to equip my children to be able to excel in life and in the real-world.  So, I need to help prepare them by teaching them about personal finance. If they know better, they’ll more likely do better.

In an ideal world, all states would require personal finance classes and parents would also teach their children money-management skills at home.  But we all know that the likelihood of that happening is as like winning the lotto.

So if you’re a parent, make it YOUR job to teach your children how to manage money wisely, because you can’t expect them to learn these skills at school.  And the best way to teach these skills is by modeling them to your children and explaining to them what you are doing.

Let your kids watch you create a budget, calculate a tip at a restaurant, write a tithe check, pay bills, and the list goes on.  The more we equip our kids to be competent adults, the better.

 

THREE

The Majority of Americans Can’t Pass a Basic Financial Literacy test

In fact, more than two-thirds of adults can’t pass a basic financial literacy test. That means that the majority of Americans don’t understand the math behind interest and other financial principles. It’s no wonder that people are drowning in debt and the weight of their financial choices. If you don’t understand financial principles, of course, your going to make some bad financial decisions.

Most people start making poor financial decisions when they leave their parents home. What would our world look like if high school students understood how taking out student loans will affect their lives?

I know so many people who regret taking out student loans on a degree they’ve never used. It’s downright tragic. The US has $1.5 trillion in student loan debt and 45% of those millennials wish they would’ve never taken out student loans in the first place.

Take some time to look at the interest rate you’re paying (debt) and earning (investments).  Look at the math and see if you need to make changes.  You might want to check into a financial advisor that will help you look at your finances and help you get to where you want to go.  This is a financial advisor I’d recommend, Liftoff Financial Planning.

FOUR

We Are Taught That We Shouldn’t Talk About Money

One of the biggest reasons why people struggle with money is because we don’t talk about it.  We need to quit making money a taboo subject and start talking about how to manage our finances wisely. 

People put money in the same category as politics and religion as a big no-no to bring up. This is yet another reason why most Americans have little to no financial knowledge base.

If people felt comfortable talking about money, they would be more likely to ask for help and ask questions.  It’s just assumed that you just figure out money on your own, but it really doesn’t work that way.  Finances are complicated.  There are many different facets like investing, saving money, retirement, real estate and so much more.

So don’t shy away from talking about money.  Ask questions.  Talk with people who know more than you.  Read and research what has you stumped.  And if you’re married, TALK to your spouse about money.  Look at your finances together, because you don’t want money to be the divide between you and your spouse.

Needless to say, we shouldn’t be silent when it comes to finances. The way we spend and save money must be addressed because money impacts every area of our lives. I wish this wasn’t the case, but finances make a daily impact on us and it’s our job to manage our finances well.  

It’s time to stop saying that we are not good with money. You can have a different future. You can stop generational poverty in your family.
Talk to your kids about money, ask people who are making wise financial decisions what they do, research on your own the topic.  Because if you want to see a better financial future for you and your children, you have to start being proactive.  

What is something you can start doing today to help your financial situation?  I’d love to hear your comment below!

 

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Why We Paid Off Our House Early

Why We Paid Off Our House Early

by | Jan 22, 2020 | Intentional Living, Living on Less, Living with Less

Why We Paid Off Our House Early

Get your own Paid Off House

A paid off house sounds magical, right? For most of us, it just seems like a pipe dream or maybe not even a dream at all because the thought of a paid-off home seems unimaginable. Maybe you must be a unicorn or have some special powers to pay off your mortgage early.

Most people just wish to have a paid-off home before they retire so they are able to retire, but what would life look like if you could have a paid off house today? What would having a paid-off home give you the ability to do?

Could you go on that dream vacation to Greece? Would you be able to afford some things you’ve always wanted? Or maybe you wish you could be able to be more generous with your money and your time? Having a paid-off home gives flexibility and financial freedom.

Financial freedom looks different to each person. To some, that means being able to pay for whatever you want without caring how much it costs. For others, it means being able to work fewer hours, play more and be more present.

For me, financial freedom means that I don’t owe anyone anything and I’m not stressed by finances. Financial freedom would allow me to be generous when I see a need. It would give me the ability to live my life how I want to, without money being a roadblock.

 

Get a Paid Off House

I crave financial freedom, and I’m sure you do too. We all long for security, the ability to live our lives without the stress of living paycheck to paycheck. Finances impact every area of our lives, and sadly, most of us are held back by them.

The decisions we make about money profoundly changes our lives. This is why my husband and I have been on a journey of getting rid of every ounce of debt, including our mortgage.  And believe it or not, we’re debt-free! We didn’t get to this goal by accident or luck. We didn’t win the lotto or inherited money.  

Honestly, we’ve never had brag-worthy incomes that would make this goal an easy feat.  What we have had going for us is a stellar financial defence. What I mean by financial defence is that we are really good at saving money.  

Financial offense is the money you earn.  It doesn’t matter how good your financial offense is if your financial defense is not on par.  Financial defense wins the game. Here are a few of my articles that go more in depth on saving money: Live Like a College Student, The Phrase I Use to Curb Overspending, and How to Save 40% on Groceries Without Coupons.

My husband and I have had a clear goal and we are determined to change our financial destiny. We don’t have one big secret to help you be financially successful. Finances don’t work that way. Every little financial decision has an effect. That’s why I can’t pinpoint just one thing that has helped us more than anything to reach our financial goals.

A Good Financial Plan:

A good financial plan is a culmination of millions of everyday choices. The small choice of making coffee at home instead of purchasing it at a coffee shop can make a huge impact on your ability to save. Over time that consistent coffee shop purchase adds up. Our choices change our financial future and that’s why we need to start paying attention and being intentional with those decisions.

Now in the financial world, most people would’ve recommended that we should’ve invested into the stock market more instead of paying off our house early.  Their reasoning is that the interest rate you pay on your home is typically quite a bit less than you’ll make on your investments.  Yes, this is true.  But, we still invested and we’ll be able to invest quite a bit more when we have no monthly mortgage payment going out.

Or the other common reason people don’t pay off their home early is for the tax deduction.  When you actually do the math, keeping a mortgage for the tax benefit doesn’t add up. You’re only getting deducted from the interest you are already paying on your home.  It’s not a tax credit. But we took a different route.  

We didn’t want to just follow what the mainstream financial world recommended us to do.  We wanted to pay attention to what God says about money and He is very clear that debt isn’t good at all.  In fact, in Proverbs 22:7 it says, “The borrower is slave to the lender.”  That means that when I owe money to anyone or to the bank, I’m giving up my freedom and handing it over to someone else.  

Christ has set us free, but when we live in debt (being enslaved to the lender), we aren’t experiencing the full freedom given to us.  And that’s why we wanted to become debt free.  Now that we have no mortgage, we have more available finances to invest and use in other areas. 

If you want to here some of the tips that helped us pay off our home at 31 years old, check this out.  I’d love to hear about your financial goals.  What are you doing to make your financial future a brighter one?

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The Phrase I use to Curb Overspending

The Phrase I use to Curb Overspending

by | Oct 21, 2019 | Living with Less, Living on Less

The Phrase I use to Curb Overspending

Saving money is incredibly satisfying. Don’t we all love getting a great deal? I love when I’m able to get something I want or need for free or cheap, but often I run into those not-so-good deals. You know, when you’re going to the grocery store and the grapes are $2.98 lb or the recliner you’re eyeing is still full price. That’s when it’s tough. It’s hard to not give in and overspend.

Have you ever caught yourself saying or thinking: I deserve this? But I worked hard for this? Or I really want it? Most of us rationalize a pricey purchase with these types of phrases. The truth is, no amount of rationalizing will cover the fact of overspending. Dollars and cents add up. It’s simple math. If you overspend, there’s a literal price tag on that.

According to CNN, Americans aren’t living within their means.  More than half of U.S. citizens are living paycheck to paycheck or going into more and more debt each month.  Now this statistic probably isn’t a shocker to us.  It’s human nature to want more stuff, but it’s also our job to have some self-control.

If we don’t set up healthy limits and live within our means, overspending is inevitable. What I’ve found to be my own mantra to help me limit my spending and stay on track is this: ‘That’s not good enough.’ Yes, it’s super simple but incredibly effective.

The Phrase I use to Curb Overspending 2
The Phrase I use to Curb Overspending 3

So when I push my grocery cart with my kiddos in tote past the grapes that are $2.98 lb. and my kids are wanting them, I say, ‘that’s not good enough.’ I know that I won’t spend over $1.00 lb. for grapes, so I don’t purchase them. I know grapes are an inexpensive purchase in the grand scheme of things, but all the little purchases adds up quickly over time. So, don’t neglect the smaller and cheaper items.  

If you want to learn how to save 40% on groceries without clipping coupons, you’ll need to read my post here.  It’s even more important to have self-control on the bigger purchases. My husband and I had been eyeing a recliner for two years. Yep, two whole years.

 

We know the Costco system for marking down prices, and each time we went there we would check the price of a leather recliner. And that recliner stayed at $399.99 for two years. The truth is, we never saw the price change and we never ended up buying it. I don’t look back and wish we would’ve bit the bullet and just gave in on the purchase. We both felt like it wasn’t meant to be.  If you want to quit overspending at Costco, check out this post.

We have to not give into everything we want or desire. By practicing this kind of self-control we are not only saving money, but we become more content with what we have. Plus, as a parent, I want my children to see that I don’t get everything I want all of the time. I want my children to be content with what they have and not ask for a new toy every time we walk into a store. As a parent, I must demonstrate the behavior I want my children to have before I can expect them to have it.

Now, I don’t want you to take this too far and get to the point where you never buy anything full-price or feel guilty when you splurge. If you have the financial ability to do that, go right ahead. But, no matter what income level you’re at, practicing self-control is important. Create your own mantra or steal ‘that’s not good enough’ from me.

Start being ok with not buying something today. It’s ok to sleep on a decision before making a purchase, even a small one. Buyers remorse is real. You don’t want to get home and realize that you were emotionally-charged when you purchased and now you regret it.

Questions to Ask Yourself to Curb Overspending:

Here are a few questions beyond, ‘that’s not good enough’ that will help you see if you really need to purchase something and will help curb overspending. So the next time you’re in Target and you find a cute sundress that you’re eying ask yourself:

  • Do I want this or do I really need this?
  • Do I have something similar to this already?
  • How often will I actually use this?
  • Will this make my life easier or better?
  • What is one reason why I shouldn’t buy this?

After you answer all of those questions, you’ll have a better idea of whether you should buy it or not. If you start second-guessing the purchase, don’t buy it.  These questions will help you not have a closet full of clothing with the tags still on it or whatever your purchases may be.  

I’ve even heard of people who will shop, but won’t buy anything that day. If they wake up and still are thinking about what they wanted to buy, they’ll go back to the store and purchase it. Now that’s the opposite of an impulse purchase.

 So instead of just buying what you want, take a little bit of time to ask yourself some deeper questions. Practice some self-control. It will save you some serious cash and clutter. 

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Quit Overspending at Costco with this Grocery Guide

Quit Overspending at Costco with this Grocery Guide

by | Jan 8, 2019 | Living on Less

Quit Overspending at Costco with this Grocery Guide

Have you ever walked into Costco to buy a handful of items and end up with a cart full that cost hundreds of dollars?  Most of us can quickly fill our cart with unplanned items like no other.  And don’t get me started about those samples!  We all love ’em, but it takes some full-on self-control to roll your cart by and not throw in some sausage-stuffed ravioli or a bag of popcorn in that massive cart.  I mean really- they even give samples of Doritos, like we’ve never eaten those before. Costco is strategic, those samples are out there to increase their sales and make you come back for more.  In 2018, Costco made $138.4 billion in net sales according to recent statistics.  So, they’ve got their marketing down.

And you know what, Costco is a little tricky. It’s hard to tell if you’re getting a great grocery deal. You can’t compare the price of three giant bottles of ketchup at Costco to the grocery store down the road. Plus, many of the food items tell you the price per ounce, not per unit, making it even more confusing. Most people just expect that food at Costco is a good deal. After all, they paid for a membership, so shouldn’t it be?

Quit Overspending at Costco with this Grocery Guide 4

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the majority of grocery items at Costco are NOT a good deal.

I’m a comparison shopper and my grocery shopping catch-phrase is, “that’s not good enough.” What I mean by that is if I want to buy pears, but they’re not a good price, I walk away and don’t buy them.  The pear price was “not good enough.”  By having this kind of self-control, helps me to eat a sample, smile at the nice lady with a shower cap on her head and roll right on by.  (I know it’s not a shower cap, but gosh, they look like one!)

If you struggle with impulse buys at Costco, eat ahead of time and stick to a list and don’t buy extras.  Grocery shopping when you’re hungry is a recipe for disaster!  If you can’t resist buying what you’re sampling, shop when they aren’t giving out samples.  

I hope I haven’t completely scared you off from Costco.  There are some items I will never buy at Costco and some that I consistently buy.  I comparison shop and know the prices out there.

To make it easier on you, I’ve compiled a list of 5 items you shouldn’t buy at Costco and 5 that you should.

What You Shouldn’t Buy at Costco:

ONE

Frozen or Fresh Chicken Breasts:

The prices for chicken breast is insane at Costco averaging around $2.60 per lb. I never pay more than $1.80 per lb. at the nearby grocery stores. FYI: the majority of the meats are more expensive at Costco than regular grocery store prices.  

TWO

Chips and Snack Foods:

Have you walked down the snack aisle at Costco and looked at the prices? Most bags of chips are $7! Yeah, seven whole dollars is outrageous! If you go to any grocery store, you are going to find a better deal even when you compare it to the smaller size.  The one exception is Costco’s three pound bag of tortilla chips.  

Beyond that, unless you’re going to a party, those chips are going to be stale quick.  Buy the smaller bags at the regular grocery store.  You’ll save calories and cash.

THREE

Most Produce:

The prices of Costco produce is really high and it’s hard to go through some of the portion sizes they have before it goes bad.

A bag of potatoes at Costco is $8 (25 lb) compared to a $2.25 (10 lb.) at a grocery store. Grapes are $2.70 lb. at Costco compared to the consistent sales on grapes for $.99 lb. at regular grocery stores when in season.

Most of the fruit at Costco is overpriced except the occasional watermelon.  I’m pretty bummed that they just upped the price of bananas, so that isn’t even a great deal anymore.

FOUR

Condiments:

The prices for ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, relish and all that is really high, plus those bottles take up a lot of fridge space. Unless there’s a manufacturer markdown that’s insane, pass on it and buy the smaller cheaper versions at your local grocery store. 

I can buy a bottle of mustard for less than a dollar at multiple grocery stores.  So I pass on the ginormous Costco one.

FIVE

Canned items:

The majority of the canned corn, tomatoes, etc. is really expensive compared to grocery store prices. If you like buying cans in bulk, check out case lot sales at your local grocery stores or buy larger quantities of individual cans when they’re on sale.

Costco labels canned items by ounces and not by individual cans, making it harder to gauge what the actual price is per can.  So pull out your phone’s calculator and do the math.

I’ve bought the gallon size tomato paste cans a few times for canning, which is a good deal. But how often do you need a gallon of tomato paste?

Quit Overspending at Costco with this Grocery Guide 5

Don’t get the wrong impression that Costco is a complete rip-off.  There are plenty of great deals at Costco on food.  Here are some of the grocery items that are seriously good deals.

What You Should Buy at Costco:

ONE

Rotisserie Chicken:

Costco’s rotisserie chicken is hands-down the best meat deal you will find in the store and the cheapest rotisserie chicken you can buy for its size. For $4.99, you get a 3+ lb. chicken that’s cooked for you, and tastes delicious!  

They all have to be over three pounds, but the really big ones can be up to five. Chat with the meat guy and they can weigh it for you if you’re curious.

 

TWO

Flour & Sugar:

If you’re a baker, Costco has some really good deals on flour and sugar.  The caveat is that they are in 25-50 lb. bags.  If you don’t go through these items fast and don’t have room to store a bag of sugar that weighs more than a small child, you might want to pass.

I used to buy flour and sugar at Costco, when I would bake bread and bake more.  But we are trying to eat a grain-free diet and less sugar, so it’s not in the cards right now.

THREE

Lettuce/Greens:

If you’re salad people, Costco has great deals on romaine lettuce, spring mix, iceberg lettuce, and spinach. We love getting the romaine hearts (it’s a six pack), cutting them in half and grilling them with a little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Divine!

Check the expiration dates to make sure you can go through it before the salad goes bad.  Many times they’re going to expire in a week of purchase, which is rough unless you’re a green-lovin’ family.

FOUR

Cheese:

We buy our feta cheese and occasionally our cheddar cheese (max price I’ll spend is $5 for 2 lb.) from Costco.

The cheddar cheese is typically around the $5.00 mark for two pounds.  If you don’t want to mess around, they do sell five pound cheese chunks that can sometimes be a better deal. 

The feta cheese is by far the best deal around when compared to other grocery stores.  Occasionally there’s a manufacturer’s rebate on the feta cheese. That’s when I stock up.  They carry the feta cheese in the plastic containers and in sealed two packs.  We purchase the two packs because they’re usually a better deal per pound.  We then break up the cheese and put it into a large glass mason jar.

FIVE

Frozen Blueberries:

The frozen blueberries are the only frozen fruit that’s a stellar deal.  It ends up being $1.99 lb or less. I can’t buy blueberries and freeze them for that price! The blueberries are really large and tasty.

We add them into pancakes and green smoothies.

 

So there you have it. I hope this list makes Costco shopping less confusing.

Start paying attention to the prices of the products you buy at Costco and compare them to the regular grocery stores. You may be surprised that you aren’t getting as good of a deal as you think.

What are some great grocery deals you buy at Costco? Please comment below…

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Quit Overspending at Costco with this Grocery Guide 7

Live Like a College Student

Live Like a College Student

by | Nov 24, 2018 | Intentional Living, Living on Less, Living with Less

Live Like a College Student

One of the best pieces of financial advice we have been given was from my mom. She told us to live like college students as long as you possibly can.

You may be thinking that you made some of the worst financial decisions of your life in college. That’s not what she was talking about. She meant, live on as little as possible and save, save, save as much as you can. And that is what we did and continue to do.

Our income has fluctuated throughout the years, especially when I quit my job to be a stay-at-home mom. When we had a higher income, we did not change our spending habits. Most people already plan out how they are going to spend their raise before they even get it. Our lifestyle has never reflected our income.

 

Live Like a College Student 8
Live Like a College Student 9

By living on less than what we made, we were able to save enough that we had a good cushion if there was an emergency or if we lost a job.

When we were double-income earners, we lived on less than half of our pay. Mind you, we didn’t have high-paying jobs, think teacher’s salary people. This gave us the ability to save and put extra money down on our house and put quite a bit into our retirement.

Beyond that, I was able to be a stay-at-home mom and we didn’t really feel like we were living differently (except we couldn’t put extra into savings, retirement, or on our house).

Having extra savings and not having to live paycheck to paycheck gave me so much more peace. As women, most of us find comfort and reassurance by being financially secure. Sadly, most women (and people in general) are stressed over money because their spending is out of control.

 

The Benefits of Living Like a College Student:

If we didn’t live like college students, we would have been so stressed financially. Buying a home would have been tough to pull off. I probably would have never had the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom.

There are so many moms who would love to be home with their kids, but they don’t think they can financially pull it off. How tragic. If this is you right now, there is always a way. Those changes may be drastic like downsizing your home and vehicle(s). Maybe you or your spouse will need to add a side gig in to make it work. You will have to change your spending habits and live with less.

My big question for you is this:

What do you want to do in your future?

Are finances holding you back from reaching those goals or dreams?

If so, what changes do you need to make?

Most people are broke, and have piles of debt. Dare to be different. You don’t have to have what everyone else has. Live like a college student. Learn like crazy, enjoy each moment, be social, and live on a shoestring. You survived it then, you can do it today.

Share your thoughts on living like a college student below.

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Stop Acting Rich: Debunking the Lies that are Holding Us Back

Stop Acting Rich: Debunking the Lies that are Holding Us Back

by | Nov 8, 2018 | Living with Less, Living on Less

Stop Acting Rich: Debunking the Lies that are Holding Us Back

We are all looking for more. The constant bombardment of what our lives should look like and what we are supposed to own is endless. What we see on television and movies paints a life where people rarely work, they have a huge spotless house, and a romantic relationship that is oh-so unrealistic.

Our perception of reality gets even more twisted by the insane amount of advertisements pushed at us daily. A whopping average of 5,000 advertisements online, on paper, and billboards each day are encouraging us to pull out our credit cards to buy the latest and greatest gadget that will ‘make our lives better.’ Instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses, most of us are trying to keep up or exceed where our parents currently are (and it took them twenty plus years to get there). Our unrealistic expectations lead us to so much debt.

Stop Acting Rich: Debunking the Lies that are Holding Us Back 10

Now, almost everything comes with a payment plan. Car and cell phone commercials only tell you the monthly payment, not the actual price. Heck, there’s a payment plan for everything. You can have a shed payment, a boat payment, furniture payment, and so much more. We are all acting like we have all the things, when in reality we are slowly paying them off and feeling like frauds.

What if we weren’t meant to go after the latest and greatest thing?

What if we lived differently?

What if we actually owned our stuff instead of the other way around?

Would freedom be found?

 

The Lie

The world is feeding us a lie that stuff equals happiness and it just isn’t true. Oliver Markus Malloy unloads reality, “Our entire life we chase the wrong things because we think having more money and buying more stuff will make us more happy. But it doesn’t. You know why a billionaire has 100 Ferraris? Because 99 weren’t enough.”

I don’t have a Ferrari, and I’m not even close to being a billionaire. But I do know, that when I stop and pay attention, I find happiness in the simple joys of life that are free.  Those memories are priceless.  Happiness is found when I push my son on the swings which brings on a slew of deep belly laughs. Snuggling up next to my daughter reading her book after book brings me joy. I don’t want to be so distracted by life and achievement, that I miss the present joys that surround me.

What brings you joy? Buying the newest and latest thing might bring a temporary high, but it won’t be lasting.  Shouldn’t we be chasing after those joys we will remember throughout our lives?

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Reflecting on Life

When it comes down to the end, all of our stuff really doesn’t matter.  I doubt many people will reflect back on their lives and think that their newest iPhone was the highlight of their life.  We all know that experiences trump possessions, but we still live the other way around.

We just had a celebration of life memorial for my Gramps and this really hit home for me. I cherish the memories, the photos, and videos of him, but not all of his stuff. My family went through his things and we all chose a few items that embodied our memories of him.  I chose the watch that he always wore and a few photos of him.  I’m working on creating a shadow box to display these few items that bring back wonderful memories of Gramps.  Beyond that, everything has been given away or donated.

Our days are limited and someday someone else is going to go through my possessions and keep what they want and get rid of the rest. I don’t want to have massive amounts of possessions that my loved ones will have to go through. And I sure don’t want to work so hard during my life so I can pay for all the things that will one day be someone else’s burden to deal with.

I want to spend my time with people I care about, buying the necessities and not caring what others think. I may have some brown duck tape holding my super-comfy couch together.  And my kids wear hand-me-downs (heck, so do I) and you know what, I’m happy with that. We are living below our means, which gives us freedom. I don’t want to fake it.

Changing Our Expectations

I wish I had the answer or a secret formula to fix our cultures insatiable hunger for more. I do know if we start changing our expectations of what we need to own and actually started to save up and pay for things outright, we would find financial freedom. As Dave Ramsey says, “you’ve got to live like no one else, so you can live like no one else.” I can not agree more with this statement.  Most people are broke, so let’s stop doing what broke people are doing.

There are so many different strategies on how to get out of debt, but the root of the issue has to be addressed. Our things cost money and if we start limiting those things, we start to save money. It is as simple as that. If we live minimally, we not only find that we have more time, less to maintain, but we also have more cash in our wallets.

What are some ways you live like no one else? Please leave a comment below…

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