Food for thought

A lot of people think that everything will be awesome when they retire, without getting ready for it. It will just be magic. We live in debts, from paycheck to paycheck, without thinking that we could lose our job one day or have a huge emergency. We build our world on credit cards and “no payments for a year” to get things we can’t really afford, we have 78 monthly payments and we go through our pay like hot water thrown on stove. We say to ourselves, it’s ok, you only live once! Right?
I’ve realized that being financially healthy doesn’t happen by luck,
a good job or credit. They surely help but what we need to be healthy is discipline and we need to start NOW!

We have to stop saying to ourselves “when I’m 30”, “when my kid is out of school”, “when I have a better job”, “when I’ll be working in this job for a year”, “when I’m done with school”, etc.

Stop listing all the reasons why you can’t do it: “too much debt”, “I won’t make it”, “ I need credit”, “I’m too old/too young”, “I need this tv”, etc.

Realize that every single dollar on your paycheck is the result of Monday mornings where you would have much rather stayed in bed but you kicked yourself to go to work. Every time you were sick but you still came in. Realize the value of your work and the money you get in exchange. Wouldn’t it be awesome if the money you work so hard for would work for you in return?

How would you feel if, instead of your pay vanishing every time it’s deposited you were really able to buy what you can afford? If you could pay God and yourself first? If you could enjoy your work, but even more your days off? If you could help somebody in need?

In this New Year, let’s think about our current financial state and how it could change if we decided to manage our finances differently. It won’t be an easy road, but it will be worth it and give life altering results. It might take a few years to work but it will be the difference between a golden retirement and a broke one. Like Dave Ramsay loves to say, “live like no one else (today) so you can live like no one else (later)”. Make the sacrifices today. Do a budget, respect it, stop using credit, pay off your debts, save, don’t be anyone or any bank’s slave. Then chill, enjoy it and share with others!

Are you ready for this decision?

What are you afraid of?
Do you have a success story?