I almost died when I paid the bills last night.... of a nervous heart attack that is. We are BROKE this month!!! I way over spent and have tried to creatively figure out a way to get through the next 11 days until we have a few more dollars to spend! But, with that said, I spent the morning running around town on a quest to buy the perfect pair of pajamas for the boys. You see they are having their first real sleepover guest this weekend and begged me for cooler pajamas (their current ones truly ARE dorky!!!!!). Now... even though I could not afford them, against my better judgement, I spent the morning doing anything it took to make them happy with money.
I have never been poor... I grew up in a middle class family. As an only child I was given everything that I needed and wanted. My husband the same...we lived very comfortably. Now in our married life, we live the same, WAY too comfortably. Even though we live with a poverty level income, somehow we make it. We have no real debt, and a low mortgage. God has provided for us all the way and I am thankful, I owe it all to HIM.
I do live creatively, I have become an extreme couponer, I work very hard to get stuff for free. I buy and sell things, and as times have changed and things have become more expensive I do try to cut back. I do think about what goes into the cart now and just today, before we checked out, I stopped and said to the boys, "Now... let's look at what we have put in the cart and take out the things that we don't really need," and we did just that. We do not eat out more than a pizza here and there, or go to movies, or spend money foolishly. I buy used clothes and shoes a lot.
What bothers me is that I don't really KNOW deep down how to live as the poor person that I am. I really want to learn how to live with less. To know that I can't just have everything I think we need. Not that I am talking about a big flat screen t.v. or a beautiful bedroom set, but that bottle of face cream, or the better brand of yogurt. I want to understand that I just can't run to Walmart and fill my cart with things that I think I need. I want to better understand the value of a dollar, and how hard my husband works to make each and every one.
Boy can we relate to all of that! And yet, somehow, against all mathematical odds, we never miss a meal or a bill! God's provision is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI am searching for the like button. So very true! While, like you said the bills are paid and we have what we need and then some, the stress level that comes with living payday to payday is very hard to deal with. Michael works very hard and I do not cut corners as I should to save what he works so hard for. i need this attitude adjustment as well. Thanks for the words of advise, I will try to apply them to my life as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being so honest. I'm sure many people can relate to what you're saying. About trying hard to be wise with your finances but being frustrated that even with being careful, you're still short. I hope God meets your family's needs in a special way. It's always fun to look back and see how God provided.
ReplyDeleteI have been working on simplifying our lives too, and only buying what we really need. Growing up we lived VERY simply, so I know how, but sometimes I just don't want to. I guess that's just me being spoilt. ;) Good post.
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