I don't feel poor..

Hello all,how are you today?

Well its the last day of the month and all our bills have been paid..quite a lot went out the bank yet i still have some left and that is going towards our National Trust Ticket..its our treat for us as a family and i think its well worth the money.
I read lots of articles about how people on low incomes can get depressed and how they feel poor compared to others on higher incomes. I am on a low income and i can tell you for sure i am not depressed and i certainly don't feel poor.


Don't get me wrong i am not sat in my tower looking smug..i understand that people are struggling to eat and pay the bills they have..i have been there and its not nice. But you have to carry on..chin up and be brave.
I suppose it has to do with your mindset..if your used to lots of money and doing as you please and then all of a sudden BANG!! your bubble has burst it could be quite depressing not being able to have stuff you want..but thats it isn't it..having what you want and buying lots of stuff. Life should not revolve around stuff..
You could make yourself feel better for a few minutes buying stuff..but then spend sleepless nights worrying about paying for the stuff.
Stuff is not essential..food and bills are..
Stuff either gets used once or thrown away after a while.
Stuff is usually something you can point to and say i have one of those.

Keeping up with the Jones's is ridiculous..i have seen this in action many years ago,2 ladies i knew slightly..buying things and going on holidays..bragging about this that and the other..what both didn't admit to is the fact it was all on credit and credit cards..well the bomb dropped on both of them eventually and Wow the fallout was spectacular..neither marriage made it as they both blamed their husbands for losing the job that paid for the stuff. Sad really..it should have made them stronger.


Life is not a competition..its not a race..its yours and you have to make the best of it.
I think my personal LBM came when i had all the things i wanted and not one penny in my purse..i couldn't afford to pay for a coffee..i actually sat and thought O my god..i have become a credit card junkie..so from that moment on i sorted myself out..cut up the cards and if i had no money i would say sorry i haven't got any spare..it was embarrassing at times but i got through it.


My hubby and i went without for years to pay off the debts and get free of them..all the while raising a family,which wasn't easy believe me..one time our bank account had 26p as a balance until payday.
We learnt hard valuable lessons from this time..i found ways of making meals stretch a bit further,started to shop wisely rather than just throw it in the trolley and worry about the cost at the tills..i started to borrow from the library rather than buy the books. It took lots of little things to get me to this point in my life..debt free and finally having the wisdom to think twice before i buy something..no impulse buying for me anymore.

Money management and budgeting is the way to go forward..go through bank statements and see exactly where your money goes..i did this and found i was paying for an insurance on an item i no longer had.
Cook from scratch..its far more rewarding than opening a packet or tin..
Mend clothes,sew buttons on,learn to knit or sew.
Lists..shopping lists are vital..plan what you need and stick to it.
Start setting goals for yourself and most of all look upon it as a challenge..little steps is all it takes.

Admitting you have no money is not something you should be ashamed of..if your bills are paid and you have food then you can hold up your head.
So no i don't feel poor at all..i feel incredibly lucky..i have a roof over my head,healthy happy children,wonderful husband..i am more rich than most .

sara