Like many, I grew up thinking a certain way about finance and possession that was so far removed from the way people lived back in the early 1900s and prior. Maybe you need to ask yourself why those everyday citizens are so revered in history. I will tell you why, of course. It is because they were incredibly strong and much more intelligent than our history books would lead us to believe. They were much more aware and self-sufficient. They knew of the atrocities carried out by those in charge, and in a much better place to stay out of the system as best they could. Sure, they still had to pay taxes, but family farms and family-owned businesses flourished in these times, compared to today. The government felt much smaller. Massive over-regulation did not exist at the county level just yet. The public school system was not as powerful. These are all the obstacles we face today that make life much harder for us. Many people do not realize these things and spend their entire lives competing in a system that does nothing but give them a false sense of security.
Once you see that you don’t need certain things to be fulfilled in life, your point-of-view begins to change drastically. All I can tell you is maybe reexamine what you work so hard to accomplish. Is it truly worth it? Look at the things in life that matter to you. Are they superficial? Do you really think we were put here to achieve these things? I don’t. If you’re interested in this blog, then you probably don’t either. I have compiled a few ideas that have personally helped me to transition to a new, and more simplistic, way of thinking. They have given me a much better perspective on things and helped me not to coast and take life for granted. I hope they can do the same for you.
Full disclosure here: Things may get a little brutal for you, but that’s only because you may not want to hear them. Keep reading, though. Trust me.
Stop buying unnecessary things
Wow, did I have a spending problem. I racked up THOUSANDS of dollars in credit card debt on shit I did NOT need at all (sorry, but completely unavoidable here)! Why? Why do we do this to ourselves??! It’s because we’ve been trained to. Nobody has the money to stay “in season” on their wardrobe, so stop trying. Screw the trends. Make your own. Clothes truly mean nothing in this world. They just make you feel better for a moment. Try and focus on buying things that will be helpful to you in the future. If you know anything about this system, then you know this “euphoria” way of life we’re living right now will not last forever. It is up to you to make your own happiness and not rely on others to provide it.
Every purchase you make should be out of necessity and function. If you do not truly need it, do not buy it. Simple as that. Keep that in mind every time you enter a retail store.
We have been told that some debt is good for your credit. Stop thinking this way. You get thrown lending offers pretty much daily. That is because this financial system thrives on your debt. The more money that is loaned to you, the more currency that goes into circulation. I know you have heard of the Federal Reserve at some point or another. They run this house. If you were not aware, they are a PRIVATE corporation and NOT a Government entity. This thought advances us to the next point.
Try not to take out a mortgage. At least not a large one
Believe me, I know how impossible this sounds. There is truly no need to throw your money away on a $300,000+ home. It’s quite ridiculous if you really think about it. Due to inflation, which means a weakening of the dollar, most homes are no longer attainable on one income. Research how much money the banks make off your loan (even if you DEFAULT!!!). Look up Fractional Reserve Lending. Why do you NEED that builder track home anyway? You get no land, you’re in a crowded city, and your property taxes are freaking ridiculous!!! Time to wake up a little bit. Sure, there are jobs in the area, but wouldn’t you rather take steps to work for yourself and out of an office setting? Once again, if you’re reading this blog, then maybe you’re considering it. Humans were not created to sit in an office for 8+ hours a day doing meaningless work. In the long run, this does nothing for your health or brain function.
I used to imagine myself living in a $600,000+ custom home with all the trimmings after my husband and I made millions on our Real Estate Investment business. Ridiculous. I began to realize, though, I did not need all that to be happy. Now, we are making investments that will enable us to borrow as little as possible in the future and build a custom house for less than $200,000! There are many options out there, you just need to figure out what fits you. The plan is to have some type of barndominium shell made, and then we would build the rest out ourselves. When you can produce your own living space, there is not much else the system can do to enslave you. Trust when I say that it is not as hard as you think to build your own custom house! It is not going to be the neighborhood builder home, but that’s just fine in my book. Remember, we’re trying to live simply. No need for ridiculous amounts of square footage and cheap-looking cosmetic materials (i.e. cabinets, countertops, tile, light fixtures, faucets, flooring, etc.) My grandparents and great-grandparents built their own homes by hand in Fort Worth, TX, and they are still standing to this day. If they can do it, so can you. That should put things into perspective for you. Even if you think you do not have the time to accomplish something like that, you do. It can be at your own pace. You must do what works for your life circumstances.
Currently, my husband and I are buying real estate with my retired mother. Since we are both investing, our mortgage is very low and our payments will be about $1000 a month! If you look into low downpayment, or no down payment, options, this may be feasible for you. Look into FHA, USDA, or VA (if you're a veteran or active service member) loans. In Texas, USDA loans are pretty interesting. They are zero-down loans for people moving to towns with populations less than 5000 I believe. They're geared towards buying properties with land that you can farm or have animals on. The idea is to bolster family farming and local business practices.
You really don’t need that car payment.
First off, cars are in no way a good investment. They literally depreciate every single day you drive them. I made the mistake of trading in my VERY nice, paid-off coupe for a sedan. I had a young baby at the time and wasn’t really thinking about long-term investments at that point. If I could go back to that moment, I would have given the paid-off car to my husband and traded his truck in for a nice used sedan for less than $5,000. If that had taken place, current me would most likely be paying for just insurance at this point and have no car payments.
New cars have become SO expensive. Many do not really stop to think about it. Why do we need to pay $15,000, $20,000, or even $40,000 for a car?! See what you can get for $5,000 or less and try to pay on it as much as you can. Therefore, you do not have ridiculous monthly payments for the next six years. Once you get over the stigma placed on society for not having the newest and nicest things, you’ll begin to see that there are other, more important things in life than making heads turn driving the latest and greatest. Put the money you save to good use by buying more supplies (i.e. food, water resources, gardening supplies, canning supplies, clothing, shoes, first-aid). You can also put that money towards buying more land and ensuring that your family has a safe, nice, and warm home to sleep in at night.
Slowly back away from society
I think of my mother as I write this point. She is the most social of the butterflies. She still regularly talks to people from high school…and she’s 68. I’ve tried convincing her many times of getting more into a rural setting and away from such overpopulated cities, but she won’t hear of it. She needs to be close to her friends. I get it, I do. Unfortunately, if you don’t agree with society, society will not agree with you. It can be a very dark and distracting place for someone that is trying to get away from the “norm”. Once you start backing away, you begin to see an unsightly picture of the way things truly are that will eventually make you want to run in the opposite direction.
I hope these points help you to see the bigger picture and connect with certain unsettling truths. I am only here to help you empower yourselves and not to fearmonger. Take this information and do with it what you will. I just hope it includes you bettering yourselves and your families.
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