I Deserve It

We have become an "I deserve it" generation. Whether we know it or not, in the last 70 years we have lost the concept of living within our means and instead have become slaves of debt. The norm for my generation includes a mortgage, student loans, car payment and a minimum of one or two credit cards. Buying something when you have the money for it is a thing of the past. The average household owes well over $15k and that doesn't include home mortgages. Before there were loans and credit cards people actually saved up for their homes, bought their cars with cash and didn't have EVERYTHING they wanted (new iPhone, latest Nike's etc.), but they still survived.  Ask yourself this; is it that the cost of everything is so high that we need a loan to afford the things that we need/want or is it that we feel that we are entitled to have the things we can't afford? 

Debt has become a norm in America, ask the US government.  It is a very hard culture to crack and I only see it getting worse unless everyone starts taking personal responsibility and living out of the norm.  I passed a billboard the other day that said "Get Engaged...for only $129 a month".  Really? It was an advertisement for engagement rings.  What a way to start a marriage.  The "I deserve it" equals "over-extended", its no wonder that America has such high cases of anxiety, depression, divorce etc, etc.  Stop and think about it, where would you be if you never took out a loan (yes a mortgage, car and student loans count) or never signed up for a credit card.  What wouldn't you have and would you be able to survive? For most of us that is a hard question because we can't remember back that far. Try this one, how much money have you paid in interest on these loans in the past five years and what better things could you have done with that money? 

Dave Ramsey of Financial Peace has some great advise on how to obtain a debt free lifestyle. As Craig Groeschel from LifeChurch puts it "say no for a little, so you can say yes forever".  It is truly a freeing experience when you are not a "slave to the lender".