if you consider what white slavery is bringing on the world market , he may have received less than fair trade value.Quote:
Originally Posted by PugnacAutMortem
Printable View
if you consider what white slavery is bringing on the world market , he may have received less than fair trade value.Quote:
Originally Posted by PugnacAutMortem
<troll>
No kids but people keep trying to make me pay for theirs.
</troll>
:)
My wife and I do "better than most". We have 2 daughters ages 10 and 11.
One of the key things was that we waited to have kids until we could afford them. We were married 7 years before we decided we could. Another HUGE plus is that we only owe the mortgage company and the taxman. All other bills are paid. The only credit card we carry is Amex, because we know it's due every month on the 22nd.
We've built a decent nest-egg, have college funds for the kids, 401K's with well into 6 figures each and cash in the bank. The BIG secret is that we say "NO".... "wants" and "needs" are different things. That said, we don't live with just the needs. We budget, and we bank the difference.
There are those here that are far wiser than I with money and investments. I don't know what you do for work, or who your employer is. But if they offer a 401K and THEY have any company match, MAX OUT their match. It's "free money" for you. If they match 50% of your money up to 6% of your pay...that's a 3% raise, TAKE IT.
Living within your means is tough some times. When you get a raise, bank your raise, if you were scraping by on your income before, continue to scrape by, and bank the rest. Compounding interest is your friend. You'll build a nest egg in no time. It's easy to spend the extra $40 week (it's only $40) but if you never see it it's an additional $2000 a year you didn't miss.
Also in the "lean years" when things were tougher, I'd pick up side work doing something. I'd cut trees, I'd sweat pipes, I'd do brake jobs. all of that added up, and I did it on my schedule so it wasn't a second job.
Others have mentioned cutting expenses. If you buy lunch 5 days a week, even if it's McDonalds that's $40 a week. If you buy a 1/2 pound of ham, 1/2 pound of cheese and a loaf of bread.... you just saved $30 a week ($1500 a year) If you buy 2 starbucks a day that's $12 a day x 5 days a week = $60 a week or $3000 a year Have a cup of coffee at home and another at 7-11 and you just saved $2500
Here's one my father taught me... in the summer set your thermostat at 75 instead of 70 in the winter 65 instead of 70. Both are comfortable temps and over the year will cost (depending on your home) $2000-5000 less per year
In short, you're not likely to find one way to save $10,000 a year, but $200 a time adds up.
Just today, I got a price to plow my driveway for the winter and a seasonal contract for landscaping for next year. It'll be cheaper to buy a used commercial mower and a crappy truck with plow (or a kick ass snowblower). So sometimes it's cheaper to spend money to save money. And I'm also of the same mentality that my time has value. So it it costs me $50 to have my lawn cut and it takes an hour. Can I make more than $50 in that hour? it depends... and that decides if it's cheaper to pay someone
^^ Your last paragraph is extremely good. I averaged out my 'hourly wage' and I was real surprise how high it is. Higher than what my lawyer is charging me. So, now I judge what I need to delegate and do myself based on that number. Life is much better ever since.
DINKS here too.