31/03/2009

feature update + 3 tips to feelin rich

holla!

busy wednesday. i've been intermittently fleshing out my new ideas for my featured artist/blogger series, but don't feel like it's quite ready to post up yet. i'm aiming for tomorrow.

in the meanwhile, i wanted to share an article that my mom forwarded me from a money-saving website called cheapskate.
"It's no secret that Americans are in credit card debt up to their eyeballs. To what can we attribute this colossal "living beyond our means" phenomenon? I don't think it's because we've had too many emergencies, and that's why we all have credit cards, right? It's because we don't ever want to feel poor.

Let me define the term, "feeling poor." It's a sad, sorry feeling of inferiority. It's that feeling you get when faced with an invitation to join all of your rich co-workers for a chi-chi lunch, and you've got $8.43 to last until payday. It's that feeling you get when you see a commercial for the coolest car on earth and all you have is a 10-year old clunker.

When you feel poor, the worst thing you can do is spend money. Sure, that might make the feeling go away for a time. But as soon as you realize you've plunged yourself deeper into debt and made your situation worse, you'll feel even poorer. It's a vicious cycle that comes to no good end.

I have a better idea. Stop feeling poor in the first place. Here are three things you can do that will help change your attitude:

1. Commit to a clean car. No matter how old, how scratched or how ugly, if you keep your car sparkling clean inside and out, you won't feel poor. Remove every coffee cup, every paper and every item other than the emergency equipment in the trunk every time you leave the car. Wash it weekly. Make sure the windows are spotless, the tires scrubbed and the chrome shiny. You'll feel like a million bucks.

2. Curb the clutter. I don't care how clean your house may be. If you have clutter, it's pulling you down. Clear your closets, drawers, cupboards, garage and counters of everything that you do not need. Open space, tranquility and simplicity will chase away feelings of poverty. Clutter invites chaos which leads to depression and feelings of deprivation.

3. Tuck a C-note. A "C-note" is a $100 bill. I want you to get one, fold it neatly and tuck it into a secret place in your wallet. Just like that, you will no longer feel poor. That C-note will make you feel prosperous and you are not likely to spend it on a whim. In fact, you are not likely to spend it at all. Breaking a hundred dollar bill is a big deal. You wouldn't do that for a hamburger and fries, and you sure wouldn't do that to convince the co-workers that you can afford to eat sushi with them instead of the bagged lunch you brought to work. That would be ridiculous, right?

If you don't have $100 to spare, start with a twenty. Then, trade it for a fifty. Before you know it, you'll have Benjamin in your pocket, hidden away.

Feeling poor isn't a financial condition. It'ss a state of mind, and something you can change.
one last thing: i've discovered that the likelihood of me buying a lunch - chi-chi or otherwise - is positively correlated to the amount of time i spend debating whether or not i should eat the one i brought from home. eesh.

enough thinking. just heat up the damn thing and lets get this show on the road!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

those are wonderful tips! i love the C note!

Anonymous said...

Great tips. I just did that to my car yesterday and it feels brand-spanking new. Even though its been through hell and back over the last 7 years! (driving from denver to PEI - ridiculously long way)

Mics AKA Lunatiger said...

Awesome article...It's so true! Especially the clutter part, I'm doing that as we speak...LOL

Always your blogs posts are always interesting and makes me think.

Unknown said...

I've been a member of Cheapskate Monthly (now Debt-Proof Living) off and on for years. The site is a great resource and Mary Hunt's book Debt-Proof Living is very eye-opening.

Thank you so much for posting this. I needed a good swift kick in the tush about spending as a refresher.

Anonymous said...

Ha! I love your suggestion to keep your car clean. It's SO true!! Great suggestions here (: I'll be putting them into action asap.

Blair Friedeman said...

Oh, this article definitley applies to me! Very good tips.

Julia said...

This was a great little article!

Unknown said...

Thank you, this is a great article!

One thing that also helps me feel better about not having a ton of money is being able to save up the money and get a few nice things, instead of having a billion cheap crummy things. Also, restoring nice hand-me-downs makes me feel good too.

I'm in the process of change, since I'm in college. In the act of progress, or working towards progress also makes me feel good about not having a lot. In fact, I joke about it! What's even more, life is so simple that my husband and I think we'll keep life minimal even after we have more disposable income.

Audrey said...

Really nice post! Good reminder for me that it's almost time to do the spring cleaning and get rid of some things that have stacked up during the winter.

Connie Krebs said...

What a great post! I found you on the Etsy forum and will continue to read your thoughts. Thanks for the great tips!!

Tiffany said...

I love the article! What great advice.

Yolanda Gurule said...

Great tips, I've read Debt proof living by Mary Hunt and It's time for me to wipe off the dust and and get to reading it again. Thanks

Jessica Marie said...

great post! and i agree with the keep your car clean one. i keep my car clean (not by choice.. my husband is a clean freak) and it really does make me feel better.

lovely blog :D

Cindy said...

thank you for the great article! i figure if i eat the lunch i brought i have more time to catch up on my favorite blogs like yours.

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails