Saturday, Thoughts about debt

     As most of you know who read this blog, I am obsessed about my debt situation and saving money.  I love to get ideas off of Pinterest and other money saving web-sites.  I have written before about my frustration with many of the lists that people put out to quell overspending in your budget, as so many of the items they tell you to cut, I just didn't spend money on anyway, so they were of no use to me. Examples: Cable (had this for 2 months 30 years ago), We don't drink coffee, or tea ( now if I could just give up diet coke), we don't smoke or drink.  We eat out very rarely.  I have always stockpiled food.  I have always cooked from scratch.  I have always had a garden.  I have always canned and froze my leftover produce.  I have made my own bread.  You get the idea?

     I think what I was or am looking for is the miracle cure for my debt.  The one big secret that will be the ah ha moment and I will instantly solve the problem.  When you are in debt, especially consumer debt, it is usually because one lacks the ability to say no to your instant need for gratification.  We or I want all that colorful, wonderful stuff the stores have.  I want to drive a nice or newer car.  I want lots of clothes and cute shoes ( well I did until my feet were ruined by dancing and arthritis).  So once we give in to our wants, we find ourselves deep in the hole to consumer debt.  We are then slaves to the credit card companies and the car loans, and the big house, etc.

     Are you in debt?  Do you constantly look for ways to cut expenses, only to see that you are already doing just that?  I just did not ever think that all these little stupid things that people were doing would ever help.  So I don't use paper towels.  How is that going to help me pay my $350.00 Visa bill?  That is chump change. You get angry and justify that you cannot do or won't do any of these stupid, piddly little things.  What you need is something that will help you trim (if you are even willing to retrench)enough money to take the burden of the debt off your back.

     So we go looking for solutions.  We get a consolidation loan, we get a home equity line, we get another credit card, we borrow money from our parents, we pick up another side job.  But we don't fix the problem which is spending more than you make.  Soon and usually with in a year we are right back where we were before.  I have been here many, many times.  It has taken years for me to admit that I am a compulsive shopper.  I love to shop, and I justified it by only buying things on sale.  Great I did save money but I also spent money I did not have, on something we did not need.

     How, how how? do we get over this viscous cycle of debt? When does the light go off that finally brings you to the realization that you might be the problem?  When will it ever occur to you that no one is coming to rescue you?  The buck stops with you. Painful as it seems you are the problem.

More on this subject.......

Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim