Frugal

Living within your means. But what exactly does that entail? Well for one, don't spend more than you make. Pretty easy actually. If you bring home $500 per paycheck, spend less than that, not more. Don't use credit cards if you are tempted to overspend. Set up a budget then stick to it. Put money in an emergency fund so that you don't have an unexpected expense which will set you back. Use a spending journal to track where EXACTLY you can cut unnecessary spending.

I'm not sure if the term "Keeping up with the Jones' " is still used but I'm sure you know what it means. Who are you REALLY trying to impress by driving a Hummer and/or a Cadillac that you can't make the payments on? Why have a $200,000 with 4 bedrooms 3 baths for a couple with no children? Especially if you then have no money to keep up with maintaince?

My two favorite sayings are, "Anyone can make a payment" that's my original saying. Yeah you may drive a Hummer but is is PAID for? Can you sleep at night? Or are you tossing and turning worrying about how to pay the bills? Are you afraid that when you get home from work that today will be the day that the electric company turns off the power and you'll have no lights? Life is stressful enough, why add extra unnecessary stress?

My other saying that I read in a finance book (can't remember which one) is, "Big hat, no cattle". Yeah you LOOK successful, but you aren't. You're just pretending. Posing. Big deal. I'd rather be the frugal little old lady that people think is poor but when I die my will is read and it's discovered I'm a millionaire.

I prefer to live BELOW my means and not worry about how I'm going to pay the bills every payday. The stress is really not worth it.

Trust me.


$1.25 Cherry Coke