The Voice of Personal Wealth...

[davaroo]

As always, I worry about folks who don't have our benefits. Those who don't have land for animals, foraging, much gardening. Those who make minimum wage and barely can afford to pay the rent and bills, much less put away $ for emergencies. What advice does he give for people in this situation?

TO not give up.

First, get mad at the same old broke-ass thinking, the same old bad habits and the same old blaming everyone but yourself for your situation. Then make a change.

Take on other jobs, keep driving the same car, go back to school, etc.

It is gradual and there will be set backs - always set backs. And certainly for every one who succeeds, there are those who give up.
There are no guarantees except the one that says, keep doing the same things and you will get the same results.

But the note of triumph in the words of those who change their lives is all the more poignant when you consider where they came from.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i think the biggest lie is.... that its easy. its not. everyone i'm sure has had setbacks. if i told you my whole story you'd lay on the floor and cry - thats what i did and it didnt do anything but make a puddle on the floor.

so i got up and kept on keepin' on.

i really had to work my way out of my 'stinkin' thinkin' about how unfair the whole thing was. yes i did everything right, yes i made mistakes but i always sought the way out, and yes evil people did take advantage of me. so whats a guy get for doin the right thing? run over by some ne'erdoweller and then backed over again. if life fair? NO but like dave said - dont give up. but get up. keep on keepin' on.

and for my $0.02, and not to start a debate which i wont participate in, but my advice is - vigorously seek God. not casually, not part time.. but vigorously. and not for wealth but for wisdom. the best thing about the Bible (and i'm guessing this ramsey guy teaches) is that the same advice they had then works now. hard work, discipline, fix your eye on God.

me&thegals: aside from 'wowza' my other favorite word right now is "golly"

 

[me&thegals]

I'm into "good gravy" right now and dad often spouts out with "gee willikers." Words are so much fun!

I have tremendous respect for those who have worked out from huge pits. For myself and my family, my goal is to continue to leave beneath our means and keep building up our cushion. It gives me great (false?) comfort to have savings build up, car paid off, some savings for retirement. I realize life could pack a whallop, but at least we're a bit prepared for some possible disappointments.

 

[davaroo]

I'm into "good gravy" right now and dad often spouts out with "gee willikers." Words are so much fun!

I have tremendous respect for those who have worked out from huge pits. For myself and my family, my goal is to continue to leave beneath our means and keep building up our cushion. It gives me great (false?) comfort to have savings build up, car paid off, some savings for retirement. I realize life could pack a whallop, but at least we're a bit prepared for some possible disappointments.

One never knows what life may bring. There are no guarantees. No one can stop the truth, no one can stop what is in the cards from being dealt. Not you, not I, not the President - no one.
But it is a lot easier to handle the hand you are dealt if you are cash rich. I'm not talking "wealthy" here - this isn't defined by Bill Gates. It may be, but it is more about staying out of debt, so that which you earn stays with you, working for you, to the greatest degree that it can.

You can explain away not having it, but no one who has it, needs to.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

but at least we're a bit prepared for some possible disappointments.

the good news is that you are taking acting now and not waiting! and Dave's right - you never know what is going to happen.

with all the big hubbub in the last couple of years its easy to get down about all of the financial news. but we decided that we were glad that we didnt "loose" anything - now we didnt make any gains (other than building up the farm and increasing our food/livestock) but sometimes its 'winning" just not to take a loss and holding steady.

and sometimes you just have to take on the make lemonade out of lemons... my hubby has been off work since this spring. we've taken every opportunity to work on the farm instead of sitting around sulking. but i have to say that i work him like a part time mule so he's ready to get back to work! the reality is tho his industry wont come back probably until next year :-( so until then its get the chain saw and take up some fire wood, paint that fence. clean out the hen house and make the best of what we have now.

my other fun phrase is "for heavens sakes" but i kinda like gee willikers humm.. i'll go try it out on the hens...

 

[me&thegals]

Ohiofarmgirl--That's great that you can work your husband like a dog and keep him from brooding over the job loss. Seriously, though, I hope his profession strengthens again soon. I admire your ability to not mope and really get things done that you might not otherwise have the time for while fully employed.

We have friends, and the husband half of the team is quite often laid off. They manage just fine, though. They work hard to put up food and get work done while he's off. They are very frugal, paid off the house a long time ago, and I imagine they do just fine even with all the times of unemployment. It probably helps that they are healthy and have no children.

 

[chipmunk]

Hey y'all -- can't tell you what an encouragement all these posts have been. I get on this site (and BYC) after a tiring week of slogging through my 2 jobs, and get a second wind just reading about your ways of getting by. DH is a realtor, and has barely brought in any income for the last two years, so we're hanging by our fingernails (and God's grace). My pay covers family health insurance with a little left over, so it's been difficult not to despair, BUT we still have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and our health, so really we can't complain. Anyway, I just want to express what a breath of fresh air you've provided!

 

[punkin]

Hey y'all -- can't tell you what an encouragement all these posts have been. I get on this site (and BYC) after a tiring week of slogging through my 2 jobs, and get a second wind just reading about your ways of getting by. DH is a realtor, and has barely brought in any income for the last two years, so we're hanging by our fingernails (and God's grace). My pay covers family health insurance with a little left over, so it's been difficult not to despair, BUT we still have a roof over our heads, food on the table, and our health, so really we can't complain. Anyway, I just want to express what a breath of fresh air you've provided!