*

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Stop your bitching

Bruce Simpson over at Aardvark offers sage advice for those bitching about the cost of living and other items when they earn heaps.

Seems he manages very well thank you on much less than the average wage and suggests the following points are good starters to get through the tough times.

It's time that Kiwis learned the difference between "wants" and "needs".

Yes, we all "want" the luxuries of life but we "need" the necessities.

If you can't pay your power-bill or petrol for the car then what the hell are you doing buying booze or ciggies?

If you're relying on the food bank to keep yourself alive then should you really be buying all those lotto tickets every week?

What ever happened to teaching people good, basic, sound financial management skills?

I have no LCD/Plasma TV, I have no Sky TV, I have a 20-year old ute rather than a nice comfy car with aircon. But I also have no HP payments, no debt, no leases and no other drains on my meager income -- except rent, power, phone, insurance, food and clothing.

Diesel has gone through the roof - so I *walk* the round trip of 5Kms to clear the mailbox in town every day. I make my own yogurt, I'm about to plant my own veges and my missus knows enough to turn a tray of sausages into a four-course meal with desert.

Perhaps I am the product of a generation-past when we were taught to think about what we are doing and the importance of self-reliance. Am I just a square peg in a round hole?

How are you coping with the seemingly endless increase in prices?

How much debt to you run?

Do you teach your kids (or have you been taught) the basics of sound fiscal management?

Is this another subject we ought to add to our school syllabus instead of some touch-feely cultural enlightenment course?

As he suggests, it is only a matter of getting your priorities sorted and separating 'wants' from 'needs'. And yes, it should be a core subject in schools right up there with the 3 R's.

No comments: