Back in the great crash of ’08, a lot of little guys got hurt pretty bad, financially. We’re talking about everyday Joes, the real Tough Guys, not investment advisors. There were many people who we doing doing the exact same thing as The Tough Guy was trying to do back then. Play the stock market and make a fortune while working their 40 hour a week job to just make the ends meet up. Dreaming of an early retirement turned into a nightmare. And recovery seemed insurmountabe. At least The Tough Guy had created a financial table with 3 legs, figuring that 3 legs are the minumum to create stability. That is true, but when one leg becomes 90% shorter, then you end up with a toughly balanced table that wobbles at the slightest provocation. And there are always slight constant provocations in life. Endless, ever changing, provocations that drains the wallet in an almost divine, and precise pattern.
Having been on backup plan B for years, the fruits of labor (the 40+ hour a week leg of the table), have not grown as expected. But it has kept the floor stable and earthquake free. Having just gotten to that “sees the light and the end of the tunnel point, and hopes it’s not another train barreling down” stage, the plan now needs to look at how to build another leg. Looking at what is on the table right now is the most important thing.
The table holds the key to investments, and how to manage money. And yes there is even a note that says hold coins in the matress. There are many uses for pennies besides putting them in the leave a penny cup at you local convience store. Bullets come to mind. The scariest table leg never to be built is the “go out and rob a bank” leg. But it was designed. Lol. The first thing you notice on the table is really all the bills. The services, the mortgage, the insurances, the unexpected occurances, and the card debts. The latter is the first pile you should eliminate. That is debt that can accrue to the point of bankruptcy if not taken care of. The Personally Tough debt reduction plan is working on schedule.
Austerity really does suck. It requires you to shop for the bargains, turn down activities due do the money factor, and to forget about holidays, birthdays, and lotto. Every dollar matters at that time. And $10 “wasted” means another month in debt. When one is austere, they shop for the day old breads and the must sell now meats. The damaged boxes and cans. All to stay with a mandated budget. Austerity also means to shop for the best value in services like auto repair, appliance repair, and home repair. And a lot of do it yourself repairs. Things like replacing an ignitor on a furnace, a fan on a refrigerator, the radiator in your car, and rescreening your widows are the norm. The Tough Guy even painted his Tough Home to save money. And still arguing with the insurance company about hail damage on the roof. Austerity is also opting for the cheapest way to keep your sanity. For some it’s shopping, others sports, and others it’s hanging out with friends. Personally, it’s hiking. Glad to be 5 minutes away from 3 state parks. Without that, depression would have sunk in to a very deep and scary place.
You need to realize that while money is not everything, being without money eventually kills you. It is a necessity in this society. Without it, you end up alone and dying, rather than surrounded by paid, caring, strangers who at the end of their day, forget you. Without it, you cannot care for others because you cannot care for yourself. Without money, life is a constant worry. Which affects the mental state, which affects health. And makes for a Very Tough Attitude. We, as a whole, need to take a very tough look at where OUR society is headed. All The Tough People out there are getting back in the game of living. And it’s going to be one hell of a Tough Renaissance.
The Tough Guy sez 