Act Your (W)age
I suppose some might call it hard, but a little dose of reality is the order of the day. It’s a brave new world we live in, war, unrest, politics, crazy people, a world raised on TikTok. Maybe I am turning into my mother or grandmother, maybe we are doomed to say the same things they said to us years ago. Maybe that’s why those sayings are still with us: they're repeated generation after generation.
Act your (w)age.
Personal finance and financial freedom simply don’t drop out of the sky like manna from above and into our laps. Depsite what you may be led to believe on YouTube, movies, and other social media … it’s possible your estranged great aunt might not die and leave you 5 million dollars.
It’s possible your next big idea and daydream about some new thing you will create, with people lining up at the door and pelt you with money … is a farce.
Sure, to be creative is to be human, to dream and hope, to look forward to a bright future and “… an expected end.” I suppose those very ideals are what make America unique, the land of opportunity where one can still start at the bottom and end up at the top.
Everyone loves a good underdog story.
Be reasonable
It’s a fine line to walk: being sensitive to cultural and economic pressures while understanding that many of these factors are simply out of our control, and we must do the best we can in the situations we find ourselves in.
At the end of the day, a desire to have financial independence, large savings, options, “lots of money” or whatever you want to call it … comes down to acting our “(w)age.”
You have no choice but to follow basic personal finance maxims if you want to get on the right track financially, be the boss of your money, and not stress about making ends meet or the next emergency.
The data says that this isn’t trending in the right direction.
In a world that has gone crazy, in more ways than one, you must embrace simplicity in your finances. No crypto bros, no late-night stock trading based on a tip from a blog or Twitter. This is not the way.
Yes, everyone around you might be buying Tahoes, going on big vacations, seemingly living the high life, and spending money like The Great Gatsby on Friday night. It’s hard to live in the rat race and not be another rat.
You want a big truck. You want a big house. You want to fly somewhere nice for spring break. You want to buy a new TV. You want the best stuff for your kids. You want the new electronic. You want to go out to eat 3 nights a week.
Act your (w)age.
Most folk live in a made-up world, a world where you can do what you want without consequences. Ignore the future you, do what feels good right now.
Since when has this worked out for anyone?
There are a thousand excuses.
You might as well hold your tongue. Don’t you think I live in the same world as you? I know housing costs are through the roof, inflation, and wages are not keeping up. You think this is the first time in world history this has happened? You think you are the first people to experience this?
Complaints don’t change the reality, things are what they are, you simply have to act your (w)age in spite of all the circumstances you find yourself fighting against.
You’ve got to pull your pants up tight and get to the job of making hard decisions and sacrifices. You have no choice. The other choice is to be broke. What would you rather be?
Greatness doesn’t appear out of thin air. A bank account that is healthy and helps you sleep at night, knowing the wolf isn’t at the door, isn’t magic. It’s a lifetime of making the next right choice, day after day, year after year … forever.
The problems are real and hard; the solution is easy and equally as hard.
Live below your means.
Say no to consistant life style inflation
Pay yourself first every single month, no matter how small the amount
Invest your money in something that compounds interest
Pay off debt
There is a double-dutch backflip that will solve your problems. Don’t wait for next year’s big bonus or tax refund that may never appear. That’s what the broke people do.
Find the margin in your budget, be ruthless. Find that extra $150 you can stick into savings. Consistency matters; it will get easier over time. Cooking at home instead of ordering out will become a routine. Hiking in the woods instead of going out and spending money on Saturday will bring true and lasting happiness.
Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can be a defense and a tool used for good.
I thought "living below your means" is what everyone was doing. Until I realized most people don't. I never understand why that's so hard for some people to live below their means. It's just a common sense