It's about money. Duh. Well, okay....the truth is that this blog is about realizing your dreams and living the life you imagine. Practically speaking, it can be difficult to live your dream if you're constantly worried about how you're going to pay the bills. So we're going to approach the dream pragmatically. We're going to chip away at one of the roadblocks that stands between you & that dream of yours. Of course I realize that "the best things in life are free," but that doesn't mean you don't need money to function in this world.
You need a roof over your head, you need heat and lights, and food, don't forget about food. All of those things cost money. You work hard to earn it, but do you realize that while you're working you've already spent some, if not all, of your money? You've likely paid Uncle Sam before you even received your check. If you're in a self-employed position (like me) it could be your responsibility to set aside what you owe the IRS (and believe me, they're not to be ignored). After that you've committed to pay your rent or mortgage. The list goes on.... How much is left? What do you do with what's left? Odds are that you're not saving it.
In 2005, the average American saves -.5% of their income. NEGATIVE .5%. What does that mean? It means that we are spending more than we make. Once we've paid all those bills, we go spend the rest and then we pull out the credit card to spend a bit more. The credit card balance increases and then the bill goes up. The cycle continues: we pay more bills, have less to spend after the bills are paid, spend more on credit, and so on.
This has to change! We can't keep digging our holes deeper and expect to get out of it. So let's get to work on the financial choices we make. Let's arm ourselves with the knowledge to make smart choices.
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