It’s a way of life only few choose to experience however everyone should try at least once!
I can remember when we became “debt free”,
I couldn’t help but share my testimony with others.
Most said “ easier said then done” and one fellow said “so you don’t have anything.”
It wasn’t a question, it was an observation/opinion that because we don’t live extravagant or pursue interest we didn’t have “anything”.
To be honest this didn’t sit well with me.
As I had observed this guy live in such a way that I almost envied, almost that is until we saw a reminder of what those “things” bring with it.
- Stress
- Overwhelming since of responsibility
- A tendency to top the last with the next best thing , never satisfied.
- And most assuredly UNREST
Truth is it’s hard to live this way but even harder to live simply in this generation.
We often scratch our heads trying to figure out how people are doing it!?
Some we know who don’t make much more then us.
Taking trips, dressing to the nines, kids want for nothing and brand new everything!
Again when I look past the first observation..at the BIG picture..there’s details I often miss.
Like the kids talking about how mom and dad fight all the time about money.
Or couples sharing how there’s no extra money and bills are stacking up so both have work two jobs to just maintain this lifestyle.
Then you will see quickly how relationships fall apart and other habits are formed from it all.
It’s really a big mess..and not worth any of the hassle.
Learning to live each day simply means waiting till the new items are a year old or on sale all the while merchants are tempting you with bonuses and perks for that instant sale.
No cash no sale and no justifying that it would be a steal to pass up or that the buy now pay later is really a great option! (Fine print will WARN you that you miss a payment you PAY much more.)
It means less vacations while snow balling your old debt and it may only mean not as extravagant trips.
It can also mean second hand thrift sometimes to last years styles.
And unless you know how to make used/tossed look like Better Homes and Gardens..(I’ve seen this!) it could mean DYI on a budget/cheap reuse. (I’m still on square one learning..)
However all this said…I would still choose the latter.
Because for me this is my fifth Christmas to have a peace of mind, unlike most.
And this on top of a big property tax due the first of the year that has also been saved for in full.
In comparison to our formative years of stretching, stressing, screaming “I’m tired of this season!!”
Only to then justifying a new credit card purchase cause it . just. seemed. fair.
I laugh now..that I sounded that naive and actually believed that I deserved it..!
Living on a cash system since Dave Ramesy said
“ Don’t let your money tell you how to live, you tell your money how your going to live!”
It took root in our hearts that we were tired of being dictated by money.
Tonight I am sitting here in reflection, interest in sharing my hind sight of Christmas past..it’s just to good a feeling to not share that living simply is not only a better way to live, it’s really the only way one can truly enjoy times likes these.
So if you or someone you know needs a “leg up” on the what not to do’s.
Invest time to learn some key principles, so basic that it’s that easy.
- PAY CASH ONLY, no cash no buy.
- SNOWBALL debt. start with the lowest owed balance throw everything at it..pay it off. Then use that amount and go after the next. It’s that EASY!!
- SHOP USED FIRST..try it for size, besides the saying “another mans trash could be another’s treasure came from someone!
- EAT more simply..every time you do this it SAVES and drives home the fact that you saved so much! Beans, tuna, peanut butter, rice, less meats, less convenient stuff. You know what I’m talking about.
That’s just basic...last ACCOUNT for all your MONIES. Every dollar. Make a budget and stick to it. Everything coming in everything going out. See and take control of your money matters. It will be eye opening.
Check out a financial advisor it doesn’t have to be Dave Ramesy although he is one of the only ones who says “cut them up and stop the stupidity!” There are many others that are out as Christian non-profit organizations and will help get you started to a simply peace filled lifestyle.
Inclosing…scripture gives many basic words of counsel to live by, here’s one of my favorites.
25 “For this reason I say to you, [n]do not be worried about your [o]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the [p]air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single [q]hour to his [r]life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?
Seriously...what will we want for when we live in such a way that is pleasing to GOD!?
1 comment:
We are almost there, too! We're down to no debt except our mortgage and we've gotten that done to just a few years remaining - and we're trying to do that faster, too! Woohoo! (We've done a modified Dave Ramsey.)
FYI... we doubted Dave's wisdom in not using credit cards... ever. After all, we only used it occasionally and always paid it off every month. However, after we had the budget we discovered that the "convenience" of using the card caused us to spend $300-400 more each month than when we only used cash!
Hubby and I often lay in bed and talk about how hard it must be to really be able to rest at night with debt hanging over your head.
Pat yourselves on the back, girl! You've earned the right to bask in your peaceful, debt-free life!!!
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