When I was growing up my parents worked. My dad was a painter/carpenter. My mom was a house keeper. They raised 3 boys and financially supported 7 other kids back in Nicaragua. We always had a working vehicle and a place to call home. They eventually bought a condo. We never wanted for anything. We had food, clothes, shoes, school supplies. It all seemed normal and easy to attain.
There was a time in the fifties that a family could own a house and raise 2 kids on a single income. Granted it would have to be a skilled profession but it was an attainable goal for anyone willing to work for it. Nowadays people have to work 2 jobs to make ends meet and drive an Uber on the weekend. The crazy part is people are perfectly content working hard to maintain a mediocre existence. I do see how some people manage to enjoy some luxuries such as travel and a nice car or designer clothes. They are ultra disciplined.
They budget every single penny. Their diets consist of Ramen noodle and cereal. They skip Starbucks. They buy generic. They generally have zero children. Those people also tend to overpay to live in a shoe box based on a zip code or a city name.
I live in a lower middle class working class neighborhood. My apartment building is nestled in a historic district. There are million dollar homes minutes away. My building consists of 3 groups. First working families. Then you have your young professionals, no kids, maybe a dog. Then other third are elderly. 60 and up. They live alone and at least half are in a wheelchair or use a walker. Ethnically, it's a diverse mix of people. Predominantly Black, Hispanic and White. Which is the case for the neighborhood.
Currently I work full time and so does my partner. We own to paid for vehicles. We have a high schooler who's been at home for a year since the pandemic hit. Although I love to cook. We buy a lot of frozen foods and eat out at least twice a week. I work. Come home. Eat. Sleep. Then, do it all over again. Pretty much the same with my wife. We always seem to have just enough to be comfortable. When it comes to money we kind of go with the flow. We don't budget. Bills get paid. We buy groceries when we need them. If we need something else, we simply buy it. Our savings is skimpy. Yet we still always manage to make it through.
Times are getting tougher. Cost of living goes up but wages don't. The working man pays the bulk of the taxes while billionaire companies pay zero taxes. Everything is twice as expensive as it was 20 years ago. In some cases, like gas its 3 times more expensive. You wanna eat well? You have to pay up. When I was growing up my parents spent $100 a week on groceries. I spend more than that "grabbing a few things". Don't start on natural and organic. That's a $300 trip to the grocery store. Even fast food isn't cheap anymore. That's $30 to $50 for a family of 3. A bucket of chicken with no sides is almost $30 depending on where you go. 20 years ago, I remember paying $10 for a value meal at Mc Donald's in Time Square NYC and thinking it was outrageous. Now that's the norm for any meal with fries and a drink. Movies too. $30 plus for 3 tickets and another $40 for soda and popcorn.
I couldn't imagine not worrying about money. Buying any thing I wanted no matter the expense. I "window shop" a lot online. Especially on Amazon. One click and I can get it tomorrow if I wanted. I make to checkout and then I'll think, I could spend that on something more important. In the long run it's stuff I don't really need but at the moment seems like something I can't live without. Growing up the only things my dad splurged on were records, CDs and cassettes and tools. His shoes were 30 years old and all his clothes was from the thrift store. He loved finding furniture and electronics on the side of the road. He had one watch and one chain and his wedding ring. My mom was also frugal. She only spent when she was doing for others. We'd deliver groceries to family friends who were laid off or when she traveled home to Nicaragua, she would take 6 suit cases and 1 was her stuff the rest was clothes and things to give to her many nieces and nephews and heir kids. She'd even give away the suitcases.
In the end none of that matters. The big house. The fancy car. Designer clothes. It all stays here. You go to the ground and someone else takes over the mortgage and continues the cycle. Really living a simple life and with simple needs is best. Save your money. Invest. Start a business. Create generational wealth for your children and their children. Start an empire. Why work for the rest of your life to leave nothing but debt behind. Today is the day to start. Think about it. Nothing will ever change if you don't change it. Make a plan and blow it out of the water. There is money out there to be made. Create several streams of revenue. If you're waiting for someone to hand you million dollars you'll be waiting for ever. After all we've gone through in the past year this is the time to start over and make some history of your own. Don't be your parents. You have to go out and get it. Be ruthless and and count every penny. Don't take anything by face value. Everyone who is not hunting is prey. People will take advantage of you, especially during these financially strained times. The story ends and begins with you. Nothing happens unless you make it happen, so wake up and start learning and doing. You got this
Even though I try to motivate my readers through my posts, I'm really trying to motivate myself as well. Also I use the posts as writing exercises in order to improve my writing. Feedback and theme suggestions are appreciated.
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