Finance - Keep it Simple

 Hello all!  It is the morning after a powerful storm around here.  Yesterday we had rain, then last night (late again) we had a band of nasty storms go through the state.  It literally was a band that went through the state from north to south - I doubt it missed anyone.  I do not like these nighttime storms.  It is scary.

The sirens went off about 10:30PM - there were some very high winds in places.  Luckily, I again am safe and no damage or problems.  It didn't last very long but is created a mess for many.  I sure hope all are safe.

This morning it is calm, the birds are singing, kitties all fed, picked up a few branches down in the back, and the temps are nice.  

It looks like it will cool later as the week goes on, and they are even talking frost again by the end of the week.  THAT is why we don't plant until after Mother's Day around here!

I bet you have!  Have you ever sat down and figured out how much you have earned in your life?  It is truly amazing to think about.

We neither one ever made a ton of money.  We neither one ever made a lot of money.  Sounds redundant - but I see a 'ton' and a 'lot' as different.  We never made per hour what people make today.  Of course we didn't have the expenses a lot have today.  BUT the point I will make - is that we lived below our means and we worked HARD to pay things off early and we planned for an uncertain future.

We did have a few moments of good fortune that happened out of bad/sad moments.  We put those things to work and used them the best we could.

First, I left a job, that just got to be too much stress.  It was an employee-owned business, and I had worked there long enough that I was vested.  So, when leaving - I did get a payout of stock funds and profit sharing.  THAT is the time we sought a 'financial' guy.  We made good decisions with that money and invested.  So many people that left or got bought out, when the company changed spent every single dime on STUFF - had huge taxes to pay and penalties, and eventually didn't have anything to show for it.

Glen got the opportunity with his job to invest a percentage of pay with a thing like 401K (govt).  He had the max taken from his check and invested.  We hardly noticed any change in pay, as it came out before taxes.  We also saved a minimum of 10% from each check.

We bought a home we could afford.  Either one of us could make the payment without the other.  We worked hard on paying extra principal payments every month.  We did this for several years.

We received a small inheritance from my mom, and we used it to pay off the house.  That was a big investment to us.  We paid it off in 15 years.

We always drove older vehicles.  Neither one of us had ever had a new car.  We promised ourselves a gift WHEN ever we paid the house off.  We bought our first and only new vehicle.  We paid it off in 2 years.

Glen got to a point that he had to quit working due to his physical problems.  He wasn't old enough to get retirement with the city (years of service + age).  Once he got disability he could get his retirement.  Well, anyone that has ever tried to get disability knows it takes time.  Glen truly wanted me to be at home when he had to quit.  So, we had NO real income for well over a year - we lived on savings.  Luckily, we had major things paid in full, and it was just basics, but they did add up.

I did work part time for a while at the last business I worked for, and they really wanted me - so I gave them my pay requirements (outrageous I thought)!  Joke on me, they said yes!!  LOL.  First time/last time I ever made that kind of money.  I also did some side work for a friend's business, taking care of his tax info. a couple days every few months.

Mainly I stayed home and took care of things here.  I was 51 when I quit working and had no retirement for myself.

Once he got approved for disability, we did get retirement and back pay. We did use a bit of that to help pay off the car early and the rest was invested (again the finance guy).

G wanted me to be able to live well and not worry when he was gone.  It worked. I live a comfortable life, but a simple life.  I do get his retirement and I get social security.  I live on, much less each month than I have come in - so I do manage to save every month.  I live on minimal funds, not because I have to, but because I want to.  (I know I am lucky).  I do not know what the future holds, so I want some protection.

*****

Now I tell these things to let you know that lots of small steps can be taken to get you in decent shape.  You may not make a ton of money, but you can still live in a way that pays the bills and saves.  It truly is about choices.  

You can still have fun.  We had fun and did things, but nothing was expensive that we chose.

Yep, crap happens - and sometimes it is stuff you can't control.  That can eat up those funds or create new bills.  Take a big deep breathe - study the situation and come up with a plan to get through it, past it, and get back on track.  YOU CAN DO IT!!!

You may have to make some harder decisions and give up a few 'fun' things for a while - but in the end it will be worth it.  It does take work, but it is soooooo worth it.  

Feeling secure is priceless.

So, if life and bills get you down - make a plan.  Change things up.  Do everything in your power to change the situation in a good way.  It truly is possible with effort.

I know some of you have shared stories in the past on how you got to a 'comfortable' life.  If you want to share something that can help others and encourage them, please do.

Have a beautiful and blessed day.