Rule #9 states: Come to the understanding that almost everything is a want, not a need. I’m still working on this. I must admit that this is the one I struggle with all the time. I always NEED something. In reality, I need very little. I simply make excuses for what I want. I have [...]
Archive for the ‘The RULES’ Category
7 Apr
Rule #8: Live YOUR life!
Rule #8 states: Stop giving a damn about what other people think. Many would argue that this should be higher on the list. Now this I know is hard to do. It’s hard to not care what your parents think of the slightly dirty floor, or what your neighbors think of you messy lawn. It’s [...]
26 Mar
Rule #7: Save your money!
Rule #7 states: Figure out what you need to save for: retirement, college, house. This is your second budget item. I know it sounds easy to say save money, but it’s really hard to do sometimes. Especially when you’re young, which is the most important time to do it. When you’re 50 and you’ve got [...]
20 Mar
Rule #6: Set some limits
Rule #6 states: If you can’t pay cash or check, you can’t afford it. A few exceptions to this as well. First, let me make something clear. I do not check my entire budget every time I want to buy a breakfast sandwich. I’m cheap, not insane. Rule 6 type of thinking applies more towards [...]
18 Mar
Rule #5: Bye bye debt
I’ve already written about ways to eliminate debt, but I’d like to discuss the few exceptions that rule. This will be short and concise as I can get. 1. Mortgage: If you can’t stand living in an apartment, you’re going to need one of these. Do a fixed 30 year or less, don’t do more. Pay [...]
13 Mar
Rule #4: More choices to make
Rule #4 states: “Decide what is not important. Everything not in #2 (What is essential) & #3 (What you decide is important) is in #4.” I know this seems to be a bit obvious, but if you are not deeming something to be important to you, then it is officially unimportant. I used to think [...]
4 Mar
Rule #3: Make Tough Choices
I know that I come across as a cheap penny pincher most of the time, but that just isn’t the case. I am instead selectively cheap and it has afforded me the ability to be selectively indulgent as well. This is the key to Rule #3: Decide what is most important. I know it seems [...]
20 Feb
Rule #2: Tough Love
Rule #2 states: Identify things that can NOT be eliminated. This is your first budget item. There are very few things on this list. VERY FEW! Here are the only things that I can think of that I pay on a monthly basis that I can’t eliminate (it should be noted that I’m pretty sure I [...]
13 Feb
Rule #1: Create a Budget
If you don’t create a budget you’ll never be able to save money. Forget saving money, not having a budget is like throwing away money. Who knows where it went? You sure don’t if you don’t have a budget.
