BlogHer - personal finance - Comments

Most of Us Do

sandhillsis — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:23:24 -0600

Bless ya for saying so Denise! Since I've been teaching personal finance classes, I've found most people do fit in that category. And if they track their money before trying to write up a budget, their budgets go better. Who knew.

It's shocking how rich you can live on the money you already have. Thanks for your comments and honesty.

Sis

www.reclaimsimplicity.com

Discover how rich and hilarious life can be when it's simple. Tales and tips on making money mind, riding the recycle, simple food, homegrown music, gardening and more. It's your life, simply reclaim it.

Make enough but don't manage it

Denise — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:01:55 -0600

I've been thinking about writing that post... cuz I totally fit into that category. Well sort of...

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

I'm just not listening any more...

kazari — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:22:06 -0500

I hope that doesn't sound like denial. But I honestly don't believe that knowing more about this situation will help.

We live within our means. Even if we didn't, I can affect little of what I hear in the news. I can't control the balance in my retirement fund. I can only control what I spend. And I can keep my attention, and my focus, on more important things than money - my family, my life.

Just you and me

Just you and me — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:46:15 -0500

Just you and me

Hope

Just you and me — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:45:38 -0500

Everyday I hear what is on the news or read what is in the newspaper. It's crazy all the things that are going on in the world. I take each day one day at a time. I wake each day and take care of all the things to the best of my ability. Would I like to have more financial security? Sure, me and everyone else. I have hope that everything will turn out for the better. I have 3 sets of eyes watching me and I am responsible for raising them to be strong individuals.

I hope you are right ...

PunditMom — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 12:00:43 -0500

... I think you've definitely hit the nail on the head, though it's not just ordinary American who have lived outside their means. I think financial institutions, investment banks, etc., have done that as well when they stretched good lending practices beyond their limits.

I am actually feeling guilty these days when I go out for dinner, wondering whether it wouldn't be better to just have a bunch of friends over to the house for pizza.

PunditMom

Light at the end of the tunnel

Giyen — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:44:08 -0500

Though all Americans are experiencing some difficult financial times and perhaps the worst it still yet to come, I truly believe that out of this financial crisis will rise a new, more disciplined, stronger America.

Our country has been so focused on material goods and wasteful spending. I believe that because of the credit squeeze Americans will learn to live within their means and start really considering how their money is spent instead of flagrantly using credit as a means to purchase items. After this difficult situation it is my hope that Americans will focus more on having meaningful experiences with their friends and loved ones rather than having physical things ... like that 11th pair of citizen for humanity jeans. :-)

Be Well,

Giyen

www.baconismyenemy.com

That is a good plan, but ...

PunditMom — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:08:07 -0500

... what if that's not enough? People with money in the stock market are losing, and it's not just the rich people or the big players. So many people have mutual funds and 401(k)'s that are invested in the stock market. We can save all we want, but if the global economy gets worse, that might not be enough as prices rise and businesses go under. If a whole country -- Iceland -- can go bankrupt, than I truly fear for the rest of us. How do we prepare for that?

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst

Frugalchick — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:43:40 -0500

Yes, I agree one can't really be sure who to listen and believe nowadays. The government? The commentators? Warren Buffet? The optimist in me says it will get better but I'm also aware that we may be stuck in this rut for a while. My strategy is to tighten our belts more than ever to beef up our savings. That means following a strict budget, working hard at our jobs to avoid getting laid off, and thinking of other ways to generate income (such as bootstrapping a small business). I'm hoping for the best but I'm also preparing for the worst.

Perspective

PunditMom — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:22:23 -0500

I think perspective is one of the hardest things to have in this economic time, especially when so many of the "assurances" are coming from an administration who has misled is on so many other things.

economic woes

Elizabetty — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:21:22 -0500

I just came acrooss this article, and I have to say it really hit home. I have started following the stock market closer than I follow sporting events (and I don't even have money invested..for me it is just about the market being some indicator of how bad things really are). I don't even know how to think about the magnitude of what is going on. However, I am trying not to be chicken little. I try to listen to those commentators who assure us it can't be another great depressoin. Here is an article written by a woman about how the approach the crisis calmly. It's just one woman's thoughts (not mine), but I found it gave me perspective and I thought maybe you would enjoy it: http://www.bettyconfidential.com/ar/h/a/a02284.html

my stomach is queasy

Denise — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:38:34 -0500

Any time I even think about buying a house. Any time my partner mentions it. Any time I open my inbox to find someone has sent me a house listing.

Queasy.

Reading your post, queasy.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

I believe that we have

Wyliekat — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:44:33 -0500

I believe that we have expectations of what we can provide in terms of lifestyle for ourselves and our children. It may well be that it's based on what our parents could afford (and I say this as someone who grew up *relatively* poor). Or it may be that life has just gotten a lot more expensive.

A portion of our life is lived on credit. We don't live excessively, but things just happen. We can afford most of our day-to-day life, but when other things come up (a month with a lot of birthdays, a car breakdown, Christmas, etc.) they go on credit.

I don't think we're alone, and I don't think it's because of fund mismanagement. It's an inevitable part of today's life. The real trick is to make sure you're doing more than just paying interest on your credit. You have to keep servicing the principle or you *will* drown.

Happily, we're able to do that at this point, but if that ever failed - we'd be frankly and utterly screwed.

And it gets better...

kazari — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:30:08 -0500

The term we are hearing around here is 'The Sandwich Generation'. You've got kid expenses, house expenses - what happens when your parents retirements savings aren't so solid, and they have medical expenses too?

And all this before the credit crunch...

Sign Me Up

MissAllie — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:15:35 -0500

I've got an 11 month old who will be one in just 7 short days and I lost my job this year with no future job yet popping up to take me under it's wing...

I want a bail out too.