Fast Track to Turmoil

By Dr. Glenn Mollette

A happy and secure life does not mean immediate gratification.

We have heard these words before, "I want it all and I want it now." Wanting the things of life as quickly as possible is natural. Some climb the career ladder quickly achieving epic heights at young ages. Many burn the candle at both ends in order to have the biggest house the finance company will allow. Some want to have a certain number of children by a certain age along with a mega career, housing, cars and all that a segment of society considers successful.

However, is your mental sanity worth the stress of all that it usually takes to get as much and as fast as you can? The common consensus by many is, "I don't want to wait until I'm old to have a nice house." Or, "I don't want to wait to enjoy the finer things of life."

An old acquaintance bought an expensive house in California a few years back and remarked, "I couldn't wait to get into that incredible house and then I couldn't wait until we sold it." Another friend remarked, "The greatest day in my life was when I bought my boat and the second greatest day was when I sold it." Our view of life's wants and needs change throughout life. We look at some things as if we can't live until we get them. After awhile we realize life was simpler and more manageable before we had them.

Consider pacing yourself. Remember this word as much as possible - afford. Try to buy, drive and live with the afford word as your ongoing theme. If you can't afford it you certainly don't need it, whatever it is. Don't overbuy on your house. Buy what you can afford now and maybe soon you can sell and buy greater. If you are living beyond what you can afford you will end up losing ground. Getting behind with making payments on property or having to file bankruptcy will only put the things you want out of reach. Destroying your credit rating only dismantles what you will want to buy next.

So, take your time. Trying to spend more and buy more than you can afford does not make you a greater person in anyone's minds or eyes. Keep in mind that it's your life and there's nothing better than living life with peace of mind. If you can be comfortable, eat well and have a good daily life of health then what more do you really want? If you want more, then take your time, do good and more will probably become available to you. The wisdom writer of Proverbs said in 15:16, "Better a little with fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil."

Dr. Glenn Mollette is a graduate of numerous schools including Georgetown College, Southern and Lexington Seminaries in Kentucky. He is the author of 13 books including Uncommon Sense. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 403, exiting

More Personal Finance Information:

Related Articles

How to Draw a Personal Budget that Works
Many people spend their little income haphazardly without any planning and end up getting broke before month-end. They then borrow to make ends meet and end up with more problems that they fail to repay their debts promptly.
Adverse Debt Levels Blight UK Consumers Personal Finances
Debt levels are at an all time high in the UK. The younger generation tend to be feeling the pinch the most, but parents are increasingly being required to bail them out, often at great expense to their own limited mortgage or retirement savings.
Students Investing in Their Future Need to Manage Their Finances Today
With the A-level results coming out, the long wait for UK school leavers hoping to go to university will soon be over. All the hard work that has been put into achieving the grades required will now pay off and the fun and freedom that is student life can begin.
Why Live Frugally
What is it about being frugal, why do it at all? Actually, some people don't do it at all, they have decided that what they want and desire is what they are going to get and they feel they deserve it. I have no trouble with that; more power to ya, live long and prosper and may you die with the most toys.
The Changing Shape of Family Finances
Super-mumsIt seems that the proof of maternal efforts is no longer found in the pudding ? it's in the spending. Women are increasingly outsourcing personal grooming tasks and the pressure of looking good, feeling healthy, maintaining a tight ship and IQ level has meant that housecleaning and gardening are again fashionable methods to promote the family brand; housewifery is now a career, with all the attitude of 21st century post-feminism.
Budget Planning - Its Elementary My Dear Watson
Does it feel like you have to be Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery behind balancing your personal budget? Are you living a mysterious thriller where your realization of "financial independence and security" is a vicious repeating cycle of debt? Don't be afraid?..
The Origins of Check Writing
People haven't always written checks to buy goods and services. But you know that right? So how did people transfer money from one place to another in times of old?In ancient times the most popular form of money exchange was the trade.
10 Tips To Save Money When Dining Out
Here are some tips that can help you save money when dining out. Keep in mind that these tips are intended to help you save money when dining out at a restaurant type setting.
Live Green; Save Green!
Have you seen the recent article on a new "green" residential high rise in Battery Park? It's called The Solaire. For a look at the hopeful future of architectural efficiency, check out the myriad of cost saving and environmentally-friendly features of the building:http://www.
First Checking Account - When is it Time?
We all know that money doesn't grow on trees, but we all need it to survive. The use of cash will only go so far in life, as you can't send it through the mail.
Planning Your Financial Future
Millions of people give a lot of thought to financial planning but get frustrated and give up before ever making any progress. Making yourself aware of the most common reasons people fail to make a viable financial plan is the first step in reaching your financial goals.
Safely Save for Your Childs University Studies Using An Education IRA!
This investment retirement account (IRA) is useful to you as an investor to understand because it may be a good way for you to save for your kid's education AND save on taxes. These plans are now called Coverdell Education Savings Accounts in honor of the late U.
How to Save Money in a Grocery Store
Now there are ways to save money in the grocery store, and they may or may not take much effort on your part to learn some great ways to save money. Your greater savings can often be found in the perishable departments of a grocery store.
Bank On It: Places to Hide and Invest Money
Today I passed a thermometer at a bank that read 110 degrees, but I am not telling you that to show you how hot it was. I am telling you that because this bank really needs to fix their thermometer.
Car Donations and Used Car Donations
Car donations and used car donations are the way many people choose to recycle their older model cars without having the headache of repairing, advertising, showing, and hopefully then selling them. Being able to get rid of an older car and at the same time gaining the benefits of charitable giving and a tax deduction are all part of the allure of used car donations.
Save Money Off Your Home Utility Bills
Many don't realize that our basic utility bills provide the perfect money saving opportunity for practically every household!Especially with today's energy crisis so prevalent throughout many of the states, you've probably heard this term - conservation.Guess what, conservation really means "using less".
Affording a Home
Can you really afford a house? If so, how much house can you afford? To determine this answer will take serious financial planning, and the best time to start is at least six months before buying the home.Although buying a new home may seem like an American Dream or romantic venture, the reality is that the house you can afford depends on your current income and debt obligations.
Do You Really Need the Power of Money Management Software?
I have been a loyal user of Quicken(R) for more years than I can remember. But a conversation the other day with my youngest son started me wondering whether or not I really need money management software.
Budgeting your Savings - Did You Let Your Piggy Bank Get Away?
I think most of us have at some point in our lives. Some how we forget to feed the little piggy.
A Quck Lesson in Saving Money
Did you have a piggy bank when you were a child? I did. Mine sat empty for a long time until my mother convinced me that I should really start putting my pennies and nickels into it in order to save my money for when I was older and wanted to buy something.