What Money Can't Buy

“Despite all the noise, we are now a largely joyless society that finds little or no authentic meaning within ourselves. This plainly human problem of a socially crushed individualism must be understood before we can fix what is wrong with Wall Street.”

~Louis René Beres

Pulled this quote from an article in the Chicago Tribune.

This story is an example of good journalism. Read the story, mull over the words. Consider your actions while I consider mine.

Whatever it is you think you need, think again. Put down the credit card, it seeks to enslave you. Remember when you were a kid and a piggy bank was your way of saving toward something you wanted?

Reinstate the "piggy bank rule" in your own life again. If you don't know how to stop spending money on things you don't need then get help. Professional help.

Sell your car, get out from underneath the monthly payments. Sure, you may have to "take a hit" monetarily when selling it but that initial "hit" will be nothing compared to the "hit" you'll be taking from the banks interest rate by the time the car loan is paid off.

Buy a reliable, used car outright if possible (I rocked a '93 Honda Accord for a couple of years before i moved to Seattle). Even better buy a used bike if you don't absolutely need your car (and trust me, I understand that bike riding isn't a feasible option for many of you who live outside of the city and away from a town center).

I'm not trying to tell you how to live and spend your money (I understand that America is a "free" country and that means you have the "freedom" to be imprisoned by debt if you so choose it. Personally, I just don't consider that freedom).

I suppose I could go on dispensing random ways for people to live a simple, debt free life but i think i'll stop here. I didn't plan on doling out any suggestions when I started writing this post, it just kind of happened.