If you really want to be rich, you may need to get stated right now. Every day you spend waiting to start on a savings plan is one more day of interest that you are loosing. For every debt you are slowly paying out, you are further from being rich. Every dollar in interest you pay to someone else is hundreds of dollars that could have been yours. Money doesn't buy happiness. That's the problem. We often association being rich with owning things that make us happy. If money doesn't make us happy, it's a pretty good bet that things don't either. Then why are we all in search of things? The newest, the most expensive, the nicest? People are convinced that a $30,000 car, a big new home, designer clothes and expensive toys all make their lives better. They've been told that if they don't have the money for those things, they can simply borrow it. It's all a mirage. No one is truly rich that buys more than he or she can afford. The happiness isn't found in the items, and if somehow it is, the pressure of debt will snuff it out. If you are spending money that you don't have, living paycheck to paycheck in a job you hate and suffering for it, you aren't just wasting your money. You are wasting your time and happiness. Neither of which can be recaptured. You can either look rich to others or be rich. You can rarely have both. Most of us have to save hard to be rich. And by rich, I mean having enough money to buy what you want when you want it. You are able to retire and don't have debt to hold you back. To get the most out of your hard-earned dollars, you have to pay off all of your debt as quickly as possible. When you have no debt, your dollars can go into savings, where they will grow. You are able to build savings to use for the things you want. Now, instead of a ten dollar item costing you $100 when you charge it (through interest), that ten dollar item could cost you only two dollars that you put into savings. And yes, this is where happiness comes in. While money can't buy it, the elimination of debt can help happiness to flourish and grow. Imagine a life where you are free to work where you please, because the only bills you have to pay are utilities. You don't have to make the big bucks. You can turn down overtime. You can not work weekends, but enjoy them with your children. You aren't only becoming rich, you are reclaiming your time. So how do you get rich? Pay off your debt. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. You may have to sacrifice the extras and learn how to spend wisely. Even after you are debt free, you will need to shop frugally to build your wealth. Being rich goes beyond paying off your debt and saving money. It comes down to the life you want to live. We association the rich with being worry-free. That's what we are really looking for. The happiness, not the money. |
