Are You Having A Tough Time Making Ends Meet? (page 9)

DanTheMan

The rich are in a recession. The poor are in a depression.

*thumbs up!*

I have managed to save a small pile of money over the past few years, simply because (and I hope this doesn't come off as holier than thou) I refuse to get ensnared in the consumerism trap. I don't have an ipod or a gee-whiz cell phone. My computer is an old Pentium III model and my monitor is a 15" CRT model that is over 10 yrs old. I buy my clothes off the clearance racks, and am far from being a paragon of fashion. My car is old and rusting. My TV set is a 25 incher that I bought back in 1996 or so and I will use it until it gives out, which I imagine will be at least another 10 years.

And you know what? Sometimes I feel guilty for being so frugal! Like I'm being a bad American for not running up debt by spending loads of money I don't have on clothes and electronic gizmos and new cars and the like. It seems like the economy has become dependent on the very things that are causing it's downfall.

Then again, my frugality may be tied to my ever self-flagellating & resentful nature, lol.

FreedomFrog

Sometimes I feel guilty for being so frugal!

You shouldn't feel guilty Dan...you're being smart.

nomoreguilt

Fiscal discipline is everyone's resposibility. Whether you make $7.00 an hour or $100,000.00 a year. Unless you really need something or you just WANT it, it's your choice. You have to count the costs, long term, short term. Personaly, I do make ends meet, I have excellant credit, 840, but I am not wealthy by a long stretch of the imagination. I live within my means , but the economy at this time is very fragile.This govt. needs to get out of other countries affairs and mind it's own business. Spend OUR tax money on US the U.S. Not on some 3rd world country herding goats and eating rice balls, they will always survive as they have for thousands of years.

NMG

wunce_wuz

As Stated by DanTheman:

I have managed to save a small pile of money over the past few years, simply because (and I hope this doesn't come off as holier than thou) I refuse to get ensnared in the consumerism trap. I don't have an ipod or a gee-whiz cell phone. My computer is an old Pentium III model and my monitor is a 15" CRT model that is over 10 yrs old. I buy my clothes off the clearance racks, and am far from being a paragon of fashion. My car is old and rusting. My TV set is a 25 incher that I bought back in 1996 or so and I will use it until it gives out, which I imagine will be at least another 10 years.

And you know what? Sometimes I feel guilty for being so frugal! Like I'm being a bad American for not running up debt by spending loads of money I don't have on clothes and electronic gizmos and new cars and the like. It seems like the economy has become dependent on the very things that are causing it's downfall.

Then again, my frugality may be tied to my ever self-flagellating & resentful nature, lol.
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I am right there with you in frugal catagory. My tv is 21yrs old. My home computer I got for free probably 10yrs ago. I still wear clothes that i've had for 10-15 yrs. My company buys and pays for my cell phone, the last one I had for 6 yrs. Was ordered to get a newer one. Argued that the old one worked, but lost argument. I use all things to the bitter end... Any purchase thats not an absolute necessity I will spend days, if not weeks, debating if I should buy. I do my best to avoid debt like the plague seeing I learned my lesson the hard way in the past.

I'm not poor. My income level is very good. I have really good insurance, benefits and have a company supplied car. I also realize that my job could disappear tomorrow, which it almost did a good number of years ago. I always pay myself first with savings. My rainy day account is substantial, which has been 10 yrs in the making-also thats why my clothes and tv are the ages they are at.

Its not easy, in my case not to spend, because I can afford to. I realize there are no guarentees in life, especially when it comes to work. My job and/or benefits could change at any time. I try to live like I can't afford those extra things in lfe, just in case it does happen.

Sparkplug

involved with worm farming

Eh?

MsMcDucket

I use to work for one of the major credit reporting agencies; and I have to tell you that two people on here sound like the credit collectors! I just did data entry and put the debts into the computer. I didn't have to call people and harrass them. Thank God! I remember hearing one collector telling a man that had just got out of the hospital, and who had been off work due to cancer, to sell his house to pay his overdue bills! I thought that was so cold! They did this job everyday! They got bonuses for getting the most payments in. . .cruise trips and such. . .Yes, some of those people enjoy having their jobs!

Lola does your sister and mother get any income from Social Security or Welfare?

sammielee24

Fiscal discipline is everyone's resposibility. Whether you make $7.00 an hour or $100,000.00 a year. Unless you really need something or you just WANT it, it's your choice. You have to count the costs, long term, short term. Personaly, I do make ends meet, I have excellant

Not saying this isn't true - but - George Bush said in a speech, and the men in charge admit, that the USA is a consumer nation. Without consumerism you have nothing. Without the credit card debt you ain't buying and if you ain't buying anything, then the economy sinks. That's the thinking from the top down, hence all the cheap goods for sale - all the commercials - tie that in to his 'free market'...'choices'..all that good marketing stuff - that's why they are issuing rebate checks - to get you buying stuff. America is stuff so according to Bush, it's your responsibility to keep buying that stuff to keep the economay healthy. Go figure. sammieswife.

MsMcDucket

One of the credit collector's famous come back remarks: Overdue bill person: "You can't get blood from a turnip!" Bill collector: "It wasn't a turnip that made the bill!"

sammielee24

My mom is a single parent, she gets no child support or any other kind of assistance, she never got help from my dead beat dad and my sister’s father also pays nothing (she can sure pick the winners!).
My sister became ill when I was 22 almost 23, someone had to be with her at the hospital and she was hospitalized for over three months, my mom couldn’t leave her by herself in the hospital so obviously she could not work, guess who picked up the slack? Me.
At 23 I became the sole provider, *I* paid the rent (oh and I live in Los Angeles where rent costs an arm and a leg), I paid all the bills, electric, gas, phone, cell phone, cable a car payment ($378, I think that was my favorite bill), insurance and groceries, plus when my mom was in the hospital I paid for her t be able to eat at the hospital and for someone to take care of my other sister, and I had to pay for parking every time I went to the hospital which also happens to be half way across town.
I used my credit cards A LOT all six of them and it took me a long time to get them paid off, in fact I still carry a balance on one of them. My sister has appointments at least twice a month and my mom has to stay home with her, so guess who is still carrying the financial responsibility in my house? *Me*. I’m only 24 but I’ve been a grown up for ages, so don’t

I'm a little confused at this. Is Lola a doctor, a lawyer, a well paid entertainer? The sole provider for 3 people in LA where rent can be a few thousand bucks a month easy. Insurance as well? Health insurance for all 3 of them? How can you work and be at the hospital too? And pay for moms meals? Copays? Deductibles? Food? How does one afford all that? Just the rent would take most people down - congratulations to Lola for taking all that care on and congratulations for handling it so well. I just know what it costs to live in California and pay rent along with your own health care...the average income for that has to be about $80,000 for a family of 4. sammieswife.

DanTheMan

I use all things to the bitter end... Any purchase thats not an absolute necessity I will spend days, if not weeks, debating if I should buy. I do my best to avoid debt like the plague seeing I learned my lesson the hard way in the past.

I think we're brothers mate. :)

I had the same experience where I got into some red ink back in the 1990's and now that I'm safely in the black i'm never going back. hehe

Are You Having A Tough Time Making Ends Meet?

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