For most of my life while I was becoming an adult I heard four key words repeated
numerous times: "I have no money!" My mother was a single mother taking care of three rambunctious young children. As you can expect cash was always tight and any amount of debt wouldn't help the problem. There were a lot of things I wished for and thought I should have but my moms issues with debt usually made my desires an unlikely dream. Because I was merely a kid, I could not fully grasp why she failed to give me everything or why the birthday gifts were handmade or why we would now and again 'skip' lunchtime. Needless to say right now I understand what she went through. Sadly her scenario is not an unheard of one.The majority of people could use some tips on budgeting.
Because of the help from a number of great friends and lots of work from myself I have started to train myself on how to manage money. I have also done my best to teach my mother all the things I know and she too is grasping and her debt is slowly dissolving. I don't look back at my years as a child with regret simply because I know she did her best. At the same time, I don't want my kids to have to fret about getting three square meals a day.
At this time I am working several jobs and sticking to a budget. I have applied all of the rules that I have read on this web site and it has helped me a good deal. I've also widely used the tips on budgeting offered. I dream of the life I will have after this "work-time" is over. The way I view it is if you dream of the way you would like to live, work at it until you realize it. Goal setting is one of the most essential steps you can take both in your financial and day to day life. As Edison said: "Imagination is everything, it's the preview of life's coming attractions."
My first big financial resolution will be to buy my very first home within 12 months. I plan to rent out some of the rooms to take care of the cost of the mortgage and in a nut-shell Ill be living rent free! In fact, people will be paying my mortgage for me! From there I will make investments in various other properties to boost my cash flow. I'm aware of the many head aches that could be involved with being a property manager but it's a sacrifice and a task that I'm willing to take on. I will be dreaming the dream and taking the steps required to make it materialize.
In short self-education in managing money is actually priceless and can produce a debt free future. My mother did not have the means we have nowadays. I'm sure my years as a child would have been significantly different had she known way more about money and gotten just a few more tips on budgeting. I expect this will encourage you to keep learning and act on your wishes, regardless of your history. I will give you with just one last quotation from Albert Einstein, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."