When Your In a Hole Stop Digging

Are you desperate and your bank account is overdrawn?  Did an unexpected bill or repair put you behind?  Do you pay your credit card and then look to see how much you paid down your credit line so you can buy some groceries?

If these things sound familiar then you need to reconsider where you are.  Step number one is stop digging your hole.  Before you learn all the best tricks to personal finance the best thing to do is stop digging.

One thing to consider is your perspective may be wrong.  My car was damaged in a car accident after my divorce and remarriage.  The temptation was to whip out the plastic and get a rental car because I had to get to work.  The solution?  Freezing my behind off at the bus stop and learning the bus schedule.

To stop digging a hole you have to pretend you are poor, because you are poor.  Say it slowly so your brain gets it.  You are poor.  Now that this is established what do poor people do?  Well in my case they take the bus.  They eat pasta, rice and beans.  They work over when the boss asks.  They drive the old car long after it should be replaced.  They buy generic brands at the store and shop at Aldi.  They cook their own food.

So lession number one is to stop digging.  More debt doesn't solve your debt problem.  Look in the mirror and say slowly - I am poor and the banks own everything.  Say it several times and put away the shovel.

theLateFrugal

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