What is important?

It’s about gratitude, and perspective…

I know my grandmas would laugh about this, because I am sure I was a silly brainless kid once…

But it seems lots of people today don’t know the difference between a necessity and a want.
It surprised me when I was doing credit counseling (very briefly) that there were people who would hock a watch to get money for Easter dresses for their children. Then they’d pay the fee, buy back the watch, and use it like a credit card for other events….
Credit cards are bad enough but pawn fees are even higher.
Going into debt for things you need, if carefully managed, can be helpful. I don’t know anyone who could pay 100% of their first home. Cars these days are very expensive. So besides settling for a very small home or a used car, obvious alternatives to overreaching your income, going into debt can be the only way these things are possible. If you can’t work on cars, getting a used one can be even more expensive than new, so I won’t belabor that.
I have recently been inspired by the family who got out of over $100,000.00 in debt by hard work and frugal choices. By knuckling down and working hard, they managed to pay it all off, and now have freedom from debt, a house, and the satisfaction of having completed a Herculean task.
I also know a woman who challenged her family to buy nothing new for a year. They would scour yard sales, second hand shops, resale stores and link up with friends to trade clothes and find the things they might need. Food was, of course, exempt. They gave themselves 5 “outs” or times when they could buy a new item. One time, on vacation, they had lost their sippy cup for the baby, and after a thorough search of the local thrift shops, came up empty handed. That was their only “out”.
What do you need? Really?
How grateful we would all be if we truly learned to live within our means, to find joy in making do, to learn how to be happy!

I’m making a list of things I am willing to sacrifice for. Things I am grateful for. No whining!