12-16-2018, 08:32 AM
I'm a wierdo.
There was a kid at work the other day complaining that he can't make it on what he gets paid. He's working one of the higher paid jobs around here, so I asked him why he couldn't make it. He listed off his bills, which included TWO car payments and $200.00 a month just for phone, then told me that he and his significant other couldn't afford to rent a house.
Really? He don't even have bills, and his bills are too much for his pay?
Something wrong there.
I told him I only make about a dollar an hour more than he does, and I live like a king, including my rent and real bills. His jaw dropped, and he asked how do I do it - what's my secret?
I told him I live within my means, and don't have an urgent, uncontrollable want for every damned thing I see. I pay less than half of what he does for TWO phones, and those phones are paid for - no thousand dollar iphones for us... what good are they that they should cost that much? I have two cars, too - and both are paid for. No car payments at all. I pay my rent, and my bills, and still have money left over for luxuries like eating... and above that, I "lend" more money at work that I ought to so these kids can buy gas to get to work, get a soda, whatever they need.
Kids these days seem to just work to party, then wonder where in the hell their money goes.
The secret is to just live within your means, make sure your actual needs are met, and get control of your wants - and learn the difference between the two. It helps that I've learned to be happy with what I have, and don't let my wants throw me into debt. I cut all my credit cards up in 1993, and have never looked back, so I don't live off credit cards, either. That's a losing proposition from the start, as when folks get dependent on credit, the get so buried in it they can't see the sun, and have a terrible time digging out of it - if they ever do get out of it. Most caught in that trap never do.
There was a kid at work the other day complaining that he can't make it on what he gets paid. He's working one of the higher paid jobs around here, so I asked him why he couldn't make it. He listed off his bills, which included TWO car payments and $200.00 a month just for phone, then told me that he and his significant other couldn't afford to rent a house.
Really? He don't even have bills, and his bills are too much for his pay?
Something wrong there.
I told him I only make about a dollar an hour more than he does, and I live like a king, including my rent and real bills. His jaw dropped, and he asked how do I do it - what's my secret?
I told him I live within my means, and don't have an urgent, uncontrollable want for every damned thing I see. I pay less than half of what he does for TWO phones, and those phones are paid for - no thousand dollar iphones for us... what good are they that they should cost that much? I have two cars, too - and both are paid for. No car payments at all. I pay my rent, and my bills, and still have money left over for luxuries like eating... and above that, I "lend" more money at work that I ought to so these kids can buy gas to get to work, get a soda, whatever they need.
Kids these days seem to just work to party, then wonder where in the hell their money goes.
The secret is to just live within your means, make sure your actual needs are met, and get control of your wants - and learn the difference between the two. It helps that I've learned to be happy with what I have, and don't let my wants throw me into debt. I cut all my credit cards up in 1993, and have never looked back, so I don't live off credit cards, either. That's a losing proposition from the start, as when folks get dependent on credit, the get so buried in it they can't see the sun, and have a terrible time digging out of it - if they ever do get out of it. Most caught in that trap never do.
Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’