Note: This aidpage was started as a comment on "
Comment to those seeing help financially"
Hi Barb,
This is great advice.
When hard times hit, people want to remain in the 'lifestyle they have become accustomed to', but this may have to change. One may need to move to a cheaper house, apt, etc. And we cannot 'wait' until the last minute.
Also, most people 'fail to plan'. Everyone needs: an emergency fund. That will at least give one a little time to work with that life changing event.
One needs to adopt a life of 'frugality'. This does not mean being 'cheap' or doing without. One can be really frugal in some areas an splurge a little in others.
We need to decide what is really important. Keeping up with the 'Joneses' is not important. Because if we 'perpetrate', then the first time we have a hardship, we will not have the money to cover it.
It is better to live 'lower' than our means than to live above our means. To many people live above their means. Sometime, we try to live within other people means. Meaning, if I have to borrow money from friends, family, etc just to 'keep up'a certain lifestyle, then I am living above 'my means'.
We need to live a more simple life. And we need to realize what is a 'luxury' and what is a 'need'. Half (or more) of the things we have are 'luxuries'.
Let me give you an example. Alot of people complain about needing 'diaper/pampers'. If they would use 'cloth' diapers, then these are reusable. People have used cloth diapers (and rubber panties) for centuries. They have done just fine. In the United States, we have become so used to 'convenient items' that we have come to believe it is a 'need'. It is not. All we are doing is just making these big companies that produce these items rich. They get richer while the common man gets poorer. That is why they call us 'consumers'. By the way, we 'consume to much'.
Thank you for reminding people on how to be frugal,
