ANSWERS: 15
  • If I were a sane person I likely would be. I have really bad spending habits but always somehow believe I'll be fine. And mostly I am but not always.
  • Don't live beyond your means, pay cash for everything including your car......your home being the exception. Stay away from credit cards except for convenience, even then you are charged a fee even if you pay them off every month. Don't give away your hard earned $$ in the form of interest. Check your credit from time to time. I checked mine a couple of years ago and found someone with my exact name and a very close Birth date had all kinds of stuff on my credit record. Everything I was able to identify was removed but probably should check it again before the end of this year. Stay out of debt, life is much easier that way. If you can't afford it...you don't need it.
  • I seem to be, in the same boat, if you will; not knowing what to do with your freedom or if what you choose to do is just. Personally I don't like being in debt, or filing for unemployment, and I never have, luckily not disability either. I mean 22 ain't too old, but I want to spend my money on something constructive to what I love to do; like funding some reasearch or training myself to be "an acceptable product for the machinations of America's economical society, and the worlds military industialized complex; of which these streets, and all who inhabit them, are a symptom of". Though, I don't think anyone should be afraid of public tender; it's a representation of the resources your government has "earned", and can help you to express some, love of discipline or something. Besides if your in school you can take classes to strengthen your skills which will help you become more confident with how your mysteries work:) what chew talkin bout punk? press that buttery gold and give the clones away ha ahahahhaha, oh I made myself sad in a box with my eyes open :( I'm simply trying to help in my own way. Life with money or without it, is scary stuff.
  • No.. believe it or not, money makes me anxious. Not having it gives me panic attacks, having it makes me super defensive and arrogant? I don't know how it works but it's weird. Money's not the root of all evil, it IS evil. I love it though LOL
  • **Cracks knuckles** Okay, First off, let me say that you are not the only one who worries about money, or your job, or your debt. Everyone does, especially lately. I heard a woman today talking on her cell phone of layoffs at her job. Scary times indeed. Here are some of my thoughts on money. I have debt, not too much, but enough to know it's there - I have a car loan and about $5K in CC debt. Does it worry me? Not really, and here's why. The amount of defaults that our economy is currently experiencing is a pittance of what it will be in a years time in my opinion. I pay my loans, and send off my payments, but it is not my top priority. I'm not saying I don't plan on paying them back, just that my money could be put to better use than sending it off to some bank. (I don't like banks) What I'm worried about is my purchasing power. I want to be able to preserve my wealth. How do I do this? Well for one, I buy physical silver and store it in my safe. Not so much that I can't eat, just with my little extra bits of money that pile up. A few hundred here, maybe a thousand there. Not only does this give me peace of mind, it's my money that no one knows about. The government can't tax it, it can't be inflated away. I have very little faith in the US Dollar. I realize it's been gaining strength these last few months, but the dollar is doomed in my assessment. Why do I buy physical silver, instead of a silver stock? (like SLV) - If there ever was a default of the paper silver market, I'll know where my silver is, while countless others clamor for their silver. Do I worry about how I spend my money? Sure. I regret life's little luxuries, like eating out, or buying something I don't need. These feelings are normal. What I try to do is save for the things I need, but still spend a set amount say $200 a month, on me, for the things that I just want. I try to cook at home, I rent movies from redbox for $1, and I try to stay busy. Some things that you are paying for right now could be cut out. A gym membership? Books you buy? Your weekly shopping habit? In my view, the reason that the economy is in such bad shape is because we as Americans, overspent. We consumed and consumed everything in our path, like locusts. Now there is no more food. Instead of being spenders (like the government wants us to be) we need to be savers. This is critical. I listen, and read, and watch stories about the economy each and every day. Some want us to believe that we are fine, others predict Armageddon. I have a few people that I really enjoy, who actually make sense. One is Peter Schiff, he has many videos on youtube, and he has a weekly podcast on iTunes called Wall Street Unspun - I recommend you listen to him. He has been very critical of the bailouts and everything the government is trying to do to 'fix' our economy. You are very right, this is scary stuff. If the Federal Reserve keeps printing money, and the new President does nothing to reduce spending, our country will go bankrupt. That is not some crazy theory of mine, that is a fact. (see David Walker below) The only thing the government can do is print more and more money. This cannot, and will not work. Our currency is being destroyed right now, not by terrorists, but by Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke. One day the world will wake up and no longer accept dollars for payment. When that happens, watch out. This issue is critically important to me. I'm not telling you this to scare you. Good information is out there. Here is some more material if you're interested. http://www.investmentrarities.com/11-18-08.html (a report on physical silver) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS2fI2p9iVs (David Walker on 60 min) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB9fuIvksLw (Glen Beck and Peter Schiff talking about inflation) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y9A0C45KZI&feature=related (60 Min exploring credit default swaps)
  • I'll preface my comments with some background: Both beloved and I, separately, came from very meager backgrounds. So meager that he milked the family cow every day, while I, at ten, knew how to de-feather a newly strangled chicken by plunging it into boiling water, the easier to pluck. He tended goats. I tended the perpetual stock pot on the stove. He picked eggs from the coop every morning, I baited worms on a hook for fishing at the river. Neither of us ever thought or felt like we were 'poor.' Ever. We met in our late thirties and married within a year. Importantly, from the way we were brought up, we never, ever thought or even considered ... someone else owes us a job, a living or a hand-out, even at our most challenged of times. It was solely up to each of us to CREATE lawful income, be delighted when it was there, spend carefully, plan (we did that a lot and stuck to it) and be happy we were healthy enough to do employment well. It was only our responsibility to 'see the future' and plan for it effectively. (Never thought we were 'doing without' since 'the plan' seemed like a gift unto itself, eh?) Even if that meant 'doing without' or 'doing with less.' Hell, we had EACH OTHER! What more was there??!! If we advance several years but not to our present day, we both struggled to 'do good' in our respective fields of endeavors. He in Science, Math and Economics. I in all things Art. Income became a mostly joyful combined effort as we began to make a living as a family. Like everyone else, over the years we had ups and downs. I believe this is just called Life. No complaints, just Life and the mature understanding that 'it' was in our decisive hands to delegate 'the how.' Half way through our 26 year marriage we literally sat down and consciously decided to put a literal ceiling on 'how much is enough money.' We realized early on that in that 'Quest for the Gold' -- an American passion but a kind of certain, unrelenting addiction) we could easily LOSE many hours, if not years, TOGETHER, by pursuing an undetermined amount of money for our household than was ACTUALLY NEEDED to 'get by' and have -- no kidding - A Life Worth Living. How much was enough money? We took into account some very basic elements. We made a realistic budget which included everything ... I mean EVERYTHING. To this day, we each hold only ONE credit card which is paid off monthly. We have a certain monthly amount going into retirement. We included paying for health insurance, including eyes and teeth. We eat at home because we both LOVE to 'chef' and jokingly 'fight' over who gets to cook each evening. We eat out at an expensive restaurant maybe once every two months rather than eating out several days-in-a-week at fast food places. (Its like savoring.) We READ a lot = we watch cable TV and rarely rent movies; We go OUTSIDE a lot, and just plain 'play' out there. We set up a figure for reasonable, moderate travel, including camping. (We had already paid for two college degrees for our now adult son.) Update: It took us almost eight years to figure out HOW to move our lives to an island from mainland America. We live in essentially two large rooms. ('Outside' IS very, very big and includes swimmable ocean!) Today, we live comfortably. But, let me explain that. What IS comfortable? It is a state-of-mind. I know some would differ with this opinion but I'd rather have tuna fish sandwiches for a week, and walk to work when I am able, than be in big debt. I mean, its far easier to be happy and comfortable than to be in debt that's for sure. In fairness, our actual long-term debt is that we DID purchase an condo in Honolulu (no heat bills) AND beloved just bought me a BMW Z3 for 'being brave and uncomplaining' from this, my year, with lung cancer. But, we didn't 'take' anything FROM anyone else or another tax payer, other than what we already earned or could pay for nor did we ever purchase anything we couldn't financially cover. We don't fudge on taxes, we figure its not worth getting caught for anything so stupid as 'money.' But more, and this IS my point ... 'good living' starts with an attitude. ALL I 'need' is some reliable warmth. Water. One chair. One plate. One knife. One fork (or chopsticks). Two dresses: one to wear, one waiting to dry to wear. One pair of shoes. One jacket. One scarf. One hat. (Actually a hat can be made out of most anything!) Now. You may think I'm just kidding. No, dears, I am not. While I treasure for sure all THE STUFF we own (now) ... the big IT comes down not to what I 'need' but what I 'want.' (Most others would reverse those). I don't 'need' much! What I want to create is TIME with beloved. The rest? Its pure and simple. It is ALL gravy. (And lots of gratitude for what IS and not for what is wished for. So, no. I am not ever afraid of money. I've done without and I've 'had' it. If I have five dollars only, I know what to do and how to behave with it. If I have a hundred? Same. A thousand? Yes, of course, the same. Oh, by the way. Even when having 'only' five? Its a great thing to give half of it away. [Money just never, ever buys happiness!]
  • I used to be very worried about money during the time of my life that my husband was a full time student and I was working. Now that he has gainful employment its not as bad.
  • no your not my parents were always drowning in debt. we had cars repossessed and almost our home. my parents filed for bankruptcy right before i entered high school. because of that, i'm a ridiculous penny pincher in my marriage. i am so careful about every penny i let go of that it actually annoys my husband. but i remembered the fear i felt as i child, and i couldn't bear to let my future children feel that. a home should be secure.
  • You're not alone. I have a feeling we're all on the same boat and by all I mean all those of us who don't have enough
  • I don;t have much money, but i'm not worried about it. I don't live beyond my means so far. Nothing to worry.
  • I am worried that in this economy my savings will not hold up much longer.
  • Please don't become a mindless zombie slave to money like most people...as long as you have a place to live and food, you are fine...if people would quit trying to buy so much crap that they don't need, I bet less people would worry.
  • My money worries stem from a fear of being taken advantage of (conned, stolen from, etc.). Having to rely on the mechanic's or the veterinarian's or the contractor's word that what needs to be done truly needs to be done. If I have to spend it, then I'll send it... I just fear that I might be the part of a little 'exaduration' of the bill, if not flat-out lied to.
  • Given how many idiots have run up debts they will likely never get out from under, I'd say you're in the minority, but it's a good clique to be in. Being able to spot traps and dangers is the first requirement to avoiding them. Learn all you can about money, personal finances, debt, home management, etc. The more you know, the better.
  • A lot of people are afraid of money - you can easily identify them. They're the ones who claim there are no opportunities open to them.

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