As a frugalist, I naturally know many people who share the same values. Some practice the art by choice, and others by necessity. Some love being frugal, while others wished life were different. In every category though, there seems to be a select few who would resent the rich. The other day, I heard this comment:
…Who cares. Those people have rich parents and that’s why they can afford it. Me? I make my own living.
Don’t worry if you’ve felt something similar. I have done this too, as I find myself envy of my friends who are well off at times. It rarely happens, but sometimes I wonder why I have to struggle dealing with my wife’s constant request to purchase our first house when others I know just buy because they have a huge inheritance waiting for them.
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The unemployment rate is still very high, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t take a vacation. Actually, with the added stress that a bad economy puts on us, a vacation is much needed and hard earned! Luckily, Galit helped prepare some tips for us to take that dream vacation without breaking the bank.
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We often equate frugality with trade offs. Trading our time to save money, trading for alternatives, and trading instant satisfaction for future gratification. No wonder frugal living seems so tough.
You may wonder how great you life would be if you never had to make any financial sacrifices, but let’s imagine for a minute that you didn’t have to say no to spending. That whatever you wanted, you would just buy it. That iPhone? Already have it. What about a Gucci hand bag? Got three this month already.
How will your life be if you can’t even think of anything you wanted? Do you really think there is any fun in that? If you just bought whatever you wanted without much thought, does buying really make you happy anymore?
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Many people are scared of the IRS even if they did nothing wrong. If you want to avoid IRS audits, remember that taxes should always be on the back of your mind, not just during April. Furthermore, here are nine precautions you can take to avoid those dreadful meetings with Uncle Sam.
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My son really wants to buy a house here, but it will really stress our financial situation if we help him with the down payment.
– A mom talking to her friend at the grocery store.
For many parents, helping their children financially is of the utmost importance. They will often try to please the young ones even if it means delaying their retirement plans. 529 plans before 401ks, going to Gap kids before the Gap, and paying for a high school graduation trip before the high school reunion.
Kids first right?
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Reading can really open your eyes. In some cases, it can even make you jump off your chair and yell NO WAY.
An article in the recent Money magazine really caught my attention.
…by 58 (when the couple wants to retire), [they] will have $1.7 million…That should get them most of the way, but there are still things they can do to ensure that they can maintain their lifestyle…
If $1.7 million isn’t enough, shouldn’t we be worried that we will never be able to retire? Wait, there’s more…
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