Comments on: Simple and Straightforward

By: Gail CC

Gail CC — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:26:37 +0000

(not Gail V-O )
OK just found this site & catching up and have to ask ( google couldn’t find it) what is a Spurt & thoil ? Thanks.

By: Colin

Colin — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:02:54 +0000

I have to admit that I am not surprised at all by the vehemence of people’s responses. Money is the very definition of vehemence. Money is intensely emotional, powerful and deeply felt. Many of us use money as a yard stick to our success, happiness, our sense of accomplishment, self-worth, security and self. So of course we are passionate about it; and passion often exudes emotion.

By: Diana

Diana — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 01:34:04 +0000

It is hard not to try and offer advice when your friend is constantly worrying about money and complaining about debt but continues to spend like she is a mini-Trump!!
I try and bite my tongue, but even my suggestion of looking at this web-site has been met with some disdain.
Oh well, I, too, will continue to be the “poor” one, even when I am made fun of for my constant envelope (jar) foraging….

By: jay

jay — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:55:23 +0000

I love hearing about other people’s money too I’m lucky, since most of my friends aren’t shy about it.

Happily, about 3/4 of my friends are doing pretty well, paying down their mortgages (if any) and not carrying any other debt. So even though their lifestyles are a bit more lavish than mine (I’m slightly on the ascetic side), it’s easy and even fun to compare.

A few, however, are a bit more daring when it comes to debt load. Some stress about it, others are blissfully in denial. My personal rule, though, is never to offer any kind of advice unless asked for it specifically and repeatedly. I’m much more comfortable being the ‘poor one’!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:22:33 +0000

I also like that analogy “RIDE YOUR OWN BIKE”. Wow, that is so applicable to all things. And another thought provoking topic – I have never worried about what others thought of my lifestyle/financial picture. My dollars are stretched till they cry “Aunty”, but we have never gone without anything important. While in the process of moving this week, my new landlord offered us a used queen sized box spring that won’t come out of the basement. (easier to push down I guess!) So, son will get the box spring, using an air mattress till later. Then I got to thinking (dangerous), my queen size set is as old as DS (18+), has a cracked box spring, and a broken leg on the frame (been on a coffee can for 10+ years) – “I should look at the Brick for a ‘do not pay for 6 months’ deal, give son the mattress, ditch the rest, and have a new bed for myself (God knows I need one). I would then proceed to save the money needed to pay for the bed in 6 months….. HEY, Gail smack! Been sleeping (sort of) on that bed for almost two decades as it is, what’s six more months? SO, good timing Gail, prevented me from doing something stupid, in a spur of the moment lapse in good judgement. Thank you.

By: Melanie Reformed Spender

Melanie Reformed Spender — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:05:26 +0000

Nice metaphor, *pol. I like that.

By: *pol

*pol — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:50:44 +0000

This post reminds me, of a great editiorial writer that my husband reads in a motorcycle magazine. One article that I really enjoyed was about a group road trip with many riders of different skill levels. At one stop a man was whimpering about how he was going to kill himself trying to keep up with his buddy (a more experienced rider). The buddy’s response was “RIDE YOUR OWN BIKE.” He was saying that he should NOT be trying to keep up with someone more advanced at risk of his own life and limb just for the sake of keeping up! He is on his own set of wheels, his own engine, his own space to occupy and HAS to stay in his skill level to stay safe. I think that is true with so many aspects of life! So when I see someone dipping deep into the corners on their motorcycle, I get envious of the skill and experience needed, just like I get envious of the beautiful, expensive new bike. The truth of it is I need to “ride my own bike”, financially and physically. Maybe time and practice and smart choices witll get me there, but I really have to be conscious of what a safe pace FOR ME is. Does that make sense?

By: Marcie

Marcie — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:41:20 +0000

oh, and I should state that “basic” things as a kid to me meant a new TV, a Disneyland vacation, the latest video game console, etc. By no means was I actually lacking in my basic needs!

By: Marcie

Marcie — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:40:03 +0000

another great post Gail!

EchoLake, I have that same curiosity! I think it’s partly why I enjoy TDDUP so much- we get to openly see the details of people’s financial lives and it is really interesting. I often heard the phrase tossed around, “they make more than us” or something similar when growing up. My parents were pre-Gail followers in that they refused to use credit. It was hard as a kid because it made even less sense to me as to why my family couldn’t afford basic things that other families had, other families whose parents held the exact same jobs as my parents! My mom would often say that we didn’t know their financial picture. I always wanted to, just so I could figure out how their lives could be so different from ours!

But in the end, it really doesn’t matter. Like all life choices, at the end of the day we only answer to ourselves and we must feel content and secure with those choices.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:24:57 +0000

Thanks! Timely post for me in my situtation. I’ve been doing so good and last week I had a set back. But life happens and you gotta learn to role with the punches. And I learned a lesson.

My favourite line in todays post is “You can have anything you want, as long as you’ve already earned the money you’re going to use to pay for it.” I so dislike the mentality that is being feed to us that “you work hard, you deserve it” (when someone has debt or can’t afford something). It affects me most when I am losing focus and even my friends are like “oh it’s ok, you’ve been so focused you deserve a treat”… Grrr I fall right into that trap sometimes!

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:20:03 +0000

@Geoff – I totally agree about email ‘inflection’.
When I first started on the computer I would type my messages in caps…..I thought it would easier to read…..until I got a nasty email back asking me to stop yelling at them….pardon me? I had no idea.
Broadening my mind by listening to other views is part of my learning curve, and as long as respect is involved, I’m good.

By: EchoLake

EchoLake — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:01:39 +0000

It’s funny, I was just talking to my husband last night about money and Gail. He was saying doesn’t she say do this or that – and I told him the only hard and fast rule Gail states – the rule that should never be broken – is do not spend more than you make -everything else is guidelines and suggestions. As long as you don’t spend more that you make it should all work.

We tend to be on the frugal side and live different lives than those we see around us – I have a bit of a problem – I have such huge curiousities about other peoples money – I would love to see where other people are really at – because I do believe some of the people around us are definitely not as wealthy as they seem (like wise we are not as unwealthy as we seem).

I don’t want to judge them – hey everyone needs to live their lives as best as they see fit – I am just curious. (Okay, just babbling now).

I love this blog – I love reading Gails insights and everyone elses. I read it almost on a daily basis now and have learned some new things and been reminded of somethings I already knew. Keep up the good work Gail (and everyone who writes in).

By: Risa

Risa — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Great post Gail. I only recently found your show and blog, and love, love, LOVE it! Been reading old blogposts everyday, and watching the shows on the DVR. While hubby and I aren’t in bad shape financially, we so easily could have been, and it is your show and the wealth of info here that helped us prevent problems. I analyzed our spending last year and found we spent almost 2K more per month than we made (ack!). But we had no debt (yet!) as hubby’s business was simply less in the black than it was the year before (and barely on the good side of the line). Another year or two of that life and we would have been in serious trouble! We started a system similar to the jars this month, and with 2 days left to go we have spent $575 less than I budgeted…and I budgeted THOUSANDS less than we’d been spending thoughtlessly, using your online budget tool. And we’re building up an emergency fund–not just leaning on our LOC from time to time (and I now understand why this is not a good idea). Ditto easing up on our pay-down-the-mortgage-at-all-costs mentality, which was hurting us in terms of not living the life we wanted (and thus spending on little CRAP that we didn’t need to make us feel better…it added up!) And best of all, hubby and I feel on the same page, working toward common goals…a true partnership again. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and knowledge on this blog; you are an inspiration!

By: psychsarah

psychsarah — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:42:00 +0000

I think someone should print that last paragraph on a T-shirt! That’s pure gold Gail.

By: Kim

Kim — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:40:51 +0000

one thing I have learned with age is that it’s nice when people agree with you but you learn so much more by listening to different opinions…that is why I love reading these comments…it never hurts to debate issues and I find for the most part people are respectful even when disagreeing, finding out what works is easier when you look from all angles.