Happy midweek to all. I hope this finds you well and safe. It is a chilly morning here. I put on a sweater when going out to feed, and I still have it on! It got noisy for a while last night and there seemed to be a light show - but no rain here. It looks to be a nice weather week in my area. I sure hope you are experiencing good weather as well.
Just a word or two today about doing what YOU need to do for yourself. You have to be true to yourself. Don't let others intimidate you into doing things you think aren't right. SO many people tend to be crowd followers- and in the world of paying off debt and living a simpler life that doesn't necessarily work!
Keep things simple. Keep trying. If you fall - get back up and start again. We have all fallen away from watching our dollars in our lives - but you can start over - ALWAYS.
Be careful who you take advise from. Watch people and how the treat their funds. If they can't manage a dollar, they surely can't manage ten!!!!!
You have to start small. Think about little things that tend to eat your dollars - they don't seem like much by themselves - but they do add up.
You know - the coffee out each day, lunch out a few times a week, buying the junk food at the grocery, cigarettes, going to the store every day, etc.
We recently had a post about how $27.40 a day = $10,000 a year!!!! YES. Doing that LITTLE stuff over time adds up. Ten years of living like that is $100,000!!!!!! That is a lot of money.
Money that could buy a house, money that could be saved, money that could pay off all your bills, money that could be invested - money that IS YOUR FUTURE.
Saving pennies - is saving dollars. Just start small and make simple changes - use that 'extra' money to pay off things or save. Start that emergency fund - they can be lifesavers.
Make little changes each and every week. Don't give up and just keep trying.
Stop blaming others for what you DON'T have - take your control back and do what is needed for YOU!
It is easy to blame others, it is harder to do the right thing. That is basically a fact in all parts of our life. No one is responsible for you but you.
Start small, it is where we all started. You got this - and know we are your tribe. We are here to help.
Have a wonderful and simple day!!!!!!
It is easier for some folks to whine and blame other people for their own bad or irresponsible behavior. Remember Flip Wilson? "The devil made me do it!"? That was amusing but not an answer in your own life. We need to rely on the Ruach Ha'Kodesh to guide our days. We certainly can't achieve peace and wisdom on our own.
ReplyDeleteThe sun is just now making an appearance. Lots to do today so I'd better hustle. Enjoy your day!
Sadly some people thinks easy is right.
DeleteNo we cannot do it on our own - we need help in all directions.
Enjoy your day!
I wish I could post picture comments here; Thumbs Up!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laurie. I appreciate it.
DeleteI really want to blame someone for this vertigo!
ReplyDeleteI wish you could too - you poor thing. I sure hope you improve each day!!!!!!
DeleteGreat post, Cheryl. Long ago, in a far off galaxy, hubs and I heard these words: "If it's to be it starts with me". Can't remember who said them because it's been so long. However , just abiding by this has been such a blessing in our lives. Early on in our marriage an older couple from our Congregation took us under their wing. He was a financial advisor and his wife was a stay at home Mom. The best advice he gave us was that we took 10 percent of all monies that came our way, be it gifts, salaries, windfalls, etc., and save it. Then take another 10 percent off and put it to charitable endeavors, or first fruits to the Lord. Thus we were left with 80 percent and we would have the faith in God that we could live on that 80 percent. Sometimes it was unbelievably hard and we didn't think we would make it. But God is faithful and does provide and we always did and sometimes with funds to spare. We are retired now, we have been debt free for many year, our house is paid off, we have an emergency fund and when we have to go into it a lot like we did this past couple of years we always put the money back. We live simply. Life is good. Cookie
ReplyDeleteYes mam, life is good.
DeleteNo one can make a person do what is right, except themselves. You found a good couple to mentor you. We were the same, always saved for us and for others first - then used the balance to live.
We never made a lot of money - but we did manage to live good and I still am in retirement. Being debt free is such a wonderful feeling - I truly wish we could bottle that feeling, so others would know what to strive for.
So much to be said about a simple life.
It is such a peaceful feeling when you are content with what you have. We have been victims of consumerism and marketing of unrealistic expectations.
ReplyDeleteNot going to play that game any more. What I need is fresh air, unpolluted water and chemical free soil. I can make a life from that.
I find your posts so reassuring, Cheryl. Thanks for doing what you do.
Thanks Rita. Boy you hit the nail on the head -what we need is pure nature - and we can make life from that.
DeleteWe are pushed into consumerism at every turn - I don't fall for it either. Funny thing, most things I see advertised, I actually will not buy!
Excellent post Cheryl, and so fitting with all that’s happening in my life this week.
ReplyDeleteI am reassured that the choices I am making are right. Thank you. Louise
Glad it helped reassure you a little. We all need to know we can do what need to do - and we are OK! Thank you!
DeleteFor those of you just starting to take control of your finances: Cheryl and her blog friends can help with your trouble spots. Just let her know...she's very smart, and kind. Cindy
ReplyDeleteOh Cindy how very kind. I have just been through most scenarios in life and learned. So many great minds here.
DeleteThank you!
Words to live by, Cheryl. I could write a novel on this topic, from where I found myself unexpectedly 10 years ago to where I am today. But, I got here and often share snippets of this journey. And it all started with being forced to take an exceptionally close look at my spending and getting it under control. And, from experience, it would have been much nicer and easier to do that on my own terms than facing that realization during an especially difficult time in my life.
ReplyDeleteYes mam. Sometimes we have no other choice than to look at our lives and revise it. No other choice!
DeleteLife changes so quickly sometimes, and I think many young people don't realize how quickly it can happen. We need to stop and look at things and decide what works and what doesn't. We all have it in us to change things. HUGS!