THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH..... (WELLTH)

 So you've been doing this "life" thing for a while, and you're still broke. You don't quite understand how you got to this point, I mean you're a smart person,You did all the "right" things. Yet you find yourself, treading water in a pool you can't afford. You know there's got to be a light at the end of the tunnel, you just can't see the light...ok...you can't even see the tunnel...let's be honest. How do we fix it from this point? Let's start taking bits of advice you've heard over the years and condense them into a shorter time line. 

For instance; you know you should save 15% of your paycheck last month, but the big screen TV died and "of course" you HAD to replace it. How do you know that was the right thing to do at that moment?, because that's what your broke neighbor did and now he has a great TV. He just put it on the credit card of his choice. You used the cash you had to buy the new surround sound, because, if your going to have a big TV, you might as well spring for the great sound, Besides it was only a few hundred more dollars.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS "INSTANCE"

1. You didn't save any money last month

2.You bought the first big screen TV on a credit card and before you actually paid for the first one....you have now purchased a second.

3.You bought a surround sound system to make sure your media center is better than your neighbors, why...cuz you have to beat the "jones"....even though no one in the neighborhood even has that last name.

4. You did all this, because you didn't make a budget this month or the last month or, really anytime since 1991 or so, because budgets are scary and keep you from buying things you "NEED"

5.Your definition of "NEED" is wrong, you "need"..FOOD....SHELTER...ELECTRIC...and TRANSPORTATION...and no...not the used $40,000 Mercedes you bought cuz your wife's friend just bought a nice LEXUS...come to think of it...her name isn't "jones" either.

6. You used a credit card for the "means to acquire" rather than "the tool" it should represent to you, Like the cordless screwdriver you have, it's a tool you use it for specific purposes. Like the hammer you have also, but like all of us...you use the screwdriver as a hammer sometimes because "IT'S EASIER"

This is your normal thought process, this is what you've always done, it doesn't feel like any harsh consequences , and you enjoy all the fruits of your labor. The problem is you don't own the "LABOR TREE"