A lot are writing about the end of the semester -- which don't get me wrong I am glad to be finally finished, but I experienced some new developments in garage saling this past weekend.
We had a very large sale at my home this past Saturday -- total there were 6 families that sold at our sale. Our garage sale was HUGE. Every kind of children's clothing, furniture, adult clothing, shoes, purses, books, you name it, we had it. I made a huge sign for the front of our home (we live on busy St. Louis Ave) and we started getting a steady stream of customers about 7 in the morning.
The day started out good and we were getting rid of tons of things, but this garage sale we all experienced something different than previous experiences with garage sales.
We had a total of 5, yes, I said FIVE different people/couples come up to us and ask us what our plans were with the clothing and other misc items after the garage sale. Since there were 6 families involved we couldn't speak for everyone, but honestly no one had really thought that far yet. In fact, most of us were hopeful that our 15 totes full of stuff would be gone by the end of the day. All of these people wanted to know if they could accept donations. Actually make that 3 people. The other two were with charitable foundations at local churches or Crosslines and knew poeple that needed these things. I was appalled by there balls. Especially those who were personally asking for those things themselves. COME ON PEOPLE! We had everything marked so incredibly cheap. My wife prices Gymboreee outfits my daughter outgrew for less than a dollar. Most stuff was $0.25 or less. Everything was priced to GO FAST. And yet, they still asked for our things.
That's why it kills me to see on craigslist people begging for stuff -- "single mom really needs things, can't pay much, any donations would help. God bless." God bless? GOD BLESS?? I'll show you God bless! Okay, so my attitude isn't really a servant of giving, it just seems people have no integrity anymore and aren't afraid to ask for anything. Go to our Wal-Mart and see 4 people with signs asking for money or anything (while smoking a cig). I know the economy is tough right now and yes, I do give and do donate, but don't expect it. It kind of takes the joy out of giving if you are begging for my things.
Am I wrong for thinking this way? We ended up keeping all our unsold things and yes, we do plan on donating everything -- to the Salvation Army.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Debt and FPU
Last week we joined a financial class at our church -- an 8 week Sunday 9AM morning class that promises to give us the tools to financial freedom.
The trend for being debt-free is on the rise, especially in churches, who have offered multiple classes over the last few years that boast "be debt free in one year." The invitation is appealing.
Debt is everywhere. I got my first credit card when I was 18 and at the age of 23 had to consolidate due to too many payments that I couldn't make. At 23, I had a personal loan for the amount of $8,000 to pay off all my credit cards. Since then I have paid off that loan, but now my wife and I have a Discover card that has about $800 on it. Not too bad, you say? Well American debt is on the rise. The struggling economy has called for desperate measures. It's not uncommon for me to be told that someone had to put groceries on a credit card just to be able to eat for the next week.
I hate hearing that, but I think there are two sides to every coin. As Americans we have become conditioned to think that we have to have more and that bigger is better. A smaller house isn't nearly as appealing as a larger home. We have become the most materialistic (and obese, but don't get me started on that) country. We think that we should have the right to have certain things: nice houses, brand new cars, new things, new computers, nice iphones, mp3 players, season passes to Six Flags, etc. The reality is here and is a slap on the face: while all those things are nice, they aren't what brings substance to life. We aren't entitled to everything that we think we are. You think if you work hard you should be able to "indulge" and buy those nice things. Most of us really can't "buy" anything. We are able to get "credit" to be loaned money to have these things. It's a false sense of reality. We don't own anything in our lives.
My wife and I started the David Ramsy plan half-way back when she was pregnant with our now 18month-old daughter. At that time we were bringing home almost $4,000 month and had NO savings or NO retirement or anything to show for it. We didn't even have two car payments, my wife's car was paid for so we were only paying $300.00 month for my car. Our house payment is $600. And yet, time and time again we were always short at the end of the month. Once we budgeted and started our savings plan we were able to put away one of my wife's full paychecks into our savings and we paid off some minor debt. We had almost $10,000 in savings when our daughter was born and after she was born padded it to another few thousand. Things have changed a lot since the recent events of my wife's pregnancy and having to pay $6,000 to Freeman for a basic birth and hospital stay. We also have to pay entirely for my wife's maternity leave. But our goal is still the same.
As we continue with this class we know that our priorities have shifted slightly, but we still want to be debt free (aside from our house) withine two years. We both have 8 year old vehicles. We go to garage sales and we rarely eat out. But we take long bike rides, go to the park, and spend time together as a family which is worth far more than material things can give us.
The trend for being debt-free is on the rise, especially in churches, who have offered multiple classes over the last few years that boast "be debt free in one year." The invitation is appealing.
Debt is everywhere. I got my first credit card when I was 18 and at the age of 23 had to consolidate due to too many payments that I couldn't make. At 23, I had a personal loan for the amount of $8,000 to pay off all my credit cards. Since then I have paid off that loan, but now my wife and I have a Discover card that has about $800 on it. Not too bad, you say? Well American debt is on the rise. The struggling economy has called for desperate measures. It's not uncommon for me to be told that someone had to put groceries on a credit card just to be able to eat for the next week.
I hate hearing that, but I think there are two sides to every coin. As Americans we have become conditioned to think that we have to have more and that bigger is better. A smaller house isn't nearly as appealing as a larger home. We have become the most materialistic (and obese, but don't get me started on that) country. We think that we should have the right to have certain things: nice houses, brand new cars, new things, new computers, nice iphones, mp3 players, season passes to Six Flags, etc. The reality is here and is a slap on the face: while all those things are nice, they aren't what brings substance to life. We aren't entitled to everything that we think we are. You think if you work hard you should be able to "indulge" and buy those nice things. Most of us really can't "buy" anything. We are able to get "credit" to be loaned money to have these things. It's a false sense of reality. We don't own anything in our lives.
My wife and I started the David Ramsy plan half-way back when she was pregnant with our now 18month-old daughter. At that time we were bringing home almost $4,000 month and had NO savings or NO retirement or anything to show for it. We didn't even have two car payments, my wife's car was paid for so we were only paying $300.00 month for my car. Our house payment is $600. And yet, time and time again we were always short at the end of the month. Once we budgeted and started our savings plan we were able to put away one of my wife's full paychecks into our savings and we paid off some minor debt. We had almost $10,000 in savings when our daughter was born and after she was born padded it to another few thousand. Things have changed a lot since the recent events of my wife's pregnancy and having to pay $6,000 to Freeman for a basic birth and hospital stay. We also have to pay entirely for my wife's maternity leave. But our goal is still the same.
As we continue with this class we know that our priorities have shifted slightly, but we still want to be debt free (aside from our house) withine two years. We both have 8 year old vehicles. We go to garage sales and we rarely eat out. But we take long bike rides, go to the park, and spend time together as a family which is worth far more than material things can give us.
Money and Career
When I was 8 years old my family (all 5 of us kids) packed up our station wagon and left our large home in New Hampshire. At the time I didn't understand why we had to leave all our friends and our family (most of my family is still located there). My parents sold everything -- including their $250,000 home and came to Missouri with a sack full of cash.
I didn't know it at the time, but my mom, who is a compulsive gambler, had borrowed thousands of dollars from her sisters and didn't pay them back so she ran from them by moving to Missouri.
We paid cash for our modest home in Carthage and bought everything -- including another vehicle with cash. It seemed like the high life. My dad settled into two jobs (again) and my mom stayed hom with us kids.
It took two years before the government caught on and we found out that the little law called "capital gains" would take everything -- home, cars, furniture, and just about everything. Pretty soon we were moving into the smallest home I've ever lived in -- a trailer home in a modest mobile park just outside of town. I remember thinking that we were now officially poor.
Since then my family has never recovered. As my siblings got older the legacy of the poor working class has continued.
I always prided myself on being the hard worker and not following in my family's footsteps, but looking back I realized I have set myself exactly like how they were. At 21 I bought my own house and worked two jobs, but I never really thought about preparing/investing in my future for providing for a family. I only thought about myself. When I met my wife she was in nursing school and her only ambition was money. Her mom told her "don't rely on anyone else but yourself." It was a great sentiment because she finished school and now we are living off of her income. Sadly enough I look back and this year marks my 10 year reunion. I tell my wife...what have I truly accomplished in the 10 years that I've been out of school? I don't have a degree or a career. I make no money. I stay home with my daughter while my wife leaves for work at 6:15 every morning. As a man there is no pride that exists in my being. I know that really I've accomplished nothing for myself or for my family.
However, there is nothing that I would change with my relationship with my wife and my daughter was the biggest blessing that we could've ever asked for. As far as love, I've accomplished more than I thought possible.
I am determined to finish my degree so one day I can say I have a "career" and then maybe I will be able to provide enough for my family. After that my life will be accomplished -- a loving family and a career.
I DO NOT plan on passing the legacy of my family onto my children or continuing it with myself.
I didn't know it at the time, but my mom, who is a compulsive gambler, had borrowed thousands of dollars from her sisters and didn't pay them back so she ran from them by moving to Missouri.
We paid cash for our modest home in Carthage and bought everything -- including another vehicle with cash. It seemed like the high life. My dad settled into two jobs (again) and my mom stayed hom with us kids.
It took two years before the government caught on and we found out that the little law called "capital gains" would take everything -- home, cars, furniture, and just about everything. Pretty soon we were moving into the smallest home I've ever lived in -- a trailer home in a modest mobile park just outside of town. I remember thinking that we were now officially poor.
Since then my family has never recovered. As my siblings got older the legacy of the poor working class has continued.
I always prided myself on being the hard worker and not following in my family's footsteps, but looking back I realized I have set myself exactly like how they were. At 21 I bought my own house and worked two jobs, but I never really thought about preparing/investing in my future for providing for a family. I only thought about myself. When I met my wife she was in nursing school and her only ambition was money. Her mom told her "don't rely on anyone else but yourself." It was a great sentiment because she finished school and now we are living off of her income. Sadly enough I look back and this year marks my 10 year reunion. I tell my wife...what have I truly accomplished in the 10 years that I've been out of school? I don't have a degree or a career. I make no money. I stay home with my daughter while my wife leaves for work at 6:15 every morning. As a man there is no pride that exists in my being. I know that really I've accomplished nothing for myself or for my family.
However, there is nothing that I would change with my relationship with my wife and my daughter was the biggest blessing that we could've ever asked for. As far as love, I've accomplished more than I thought possible.
I am determined to finish my degree so one day I can say I have a "career" and then maybe I will be able to provide enough for my family. After that my life will be accomplished -- a loving family and a career.
I DO NOT plan on passing the legacy of my family onto my children or continuing it with myself.
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