Living beneath one's means.

[GoldenGlove]

I do

I make dough but dont have a car, dont have cable... my apt cost less than a g

I have a car, but no note. I've never had a new car, but I've had 3 in my life time.

First car was an old Lumina that my uncle sold my mom for a few 100 bucks in highschool. I couldn't open the driver side door from the outside, but shyt, I had a car in HS that's all that mattered to me

 

[Sad Bunny]

It's funny because I have very similar hobbies. Love to read, have a nice book collection and I like to play VGs, but even thouse 9/10 i`m buying it used/trading stuff in to get it, haven't paid a full 60 for a game in god knows how long.

But those are still experiences, that's art. You get much more out of a good book/great game then you do out of a nice chain.

Exactly.

And these are things that entertain us, too.

DF is a chain or ring for?

so other ppl can stare at it?

 

[unit321]

...Anyone else live well beneath their means?

I do. I always try to save money. I drive a 2002 car. I've never owned a new car. I've never been to Europe or Asia on a vacation. What do I do with my cash? I buy nice music instruments because I'm a musician. But even then, I'll get something on clearance or on sale or used.

My father is good with his money. I'm careful with my money because I started out of college behind the eight-ball. College was tough. Looking for spare change from the vending machine was the lowest of my lows to get a snack. Never stole money. So, because of that, I have zero-f***ing empathy for my dumb ass sister in laws who spend money stupidly. One of them declared bankrupty, condo got foreclosed, doesn't have a line of credit, what does she do months lather??? Buys a $600 iPad on a 3-month payment plan. It's like why don't you save up for it. And what do you really need an iPad for? This is not a 20-something woman. She's in her 40s. I want to call her a functional retard, but my wife would get mad.

My father-in-law is a nice guy but he's not good with money either. I gave him back a $100 gift for my daughter recently. I know he can't afford it. Why you might ask? He had originally sent a $100 check, I deposited it but that bounced. I told him that a huge money gift is not important. Then, he sends a $100 money order. I deposited it and sent him a money order back. It's like I know he's struggling, but he's want to look like he's Mr. Generosity and money is not a problem, when it is.

 

[trick]

Strangely enough my dad is the one person in my life who can't move past the concept of status. I understand why he does it- he literally came from nothing, made it out and did big things, but is just another face in the crowd in the US. His money is all fukked up off of that status shyt... hes damn near 70 with a $5K/month mortgage

I am all for living below my means. I don't need much. Motorcycle, gym membership, money + time to travel a little bit, I'm good.

My dad is the same way breh. He immigrated, barely spoke any English and he's hard-working but he just cannot stop spending his money on useless garbage.

I'm trying really hard to save up this year. I don't wanna reach retirement age and have nothing to show for it.

 

[Taadow]

Pretty much the only thing I spend money on (besides "room & board") is upgrading my ish. And I don't do that much.

I just bought a new car last month, and I was driving my last one for 12 years.

I just bought a new phone, and it's only the second cell phone i've ever owned.

I never got flabby(-er) & sick after high school, so I still wear alot of the same clothes...and my style is pretty much gangsta, so it's not faddish.

I really could just give a damn about "extra" stuff. I don't even have pictures or posters or anything on my walls.

 

[Sad Bunny]

Pretty much the only thing I spend money on (besides "room & board") is upgrading my ish. And I don't do that much.

I just bought a new car last month, and I was driving my last one for 12 years.

I just bought a new phone, and it's only the second cell phone i've ever owned.

I never got flabby(-er) & sick after high school, so I still wear alot of the same clothes...and my style is pretty much gangsta, so it's not faddish.

I really could just give a damn about "extra" stuff. I don't even have pictures or posters or anything on my walls.

good shyt -- imma upgrade my cell soon (galaxy s1)

car is 2008 and just copped it in july -- might upgrade that later on in life

i have art on my walls but it is all shyt my artist friends created, a few pics my dad left after he died and a kid cudi poster

i feel you though....its really a waste

 

[LastEmperor2k2]

I 've never owned a new car. I

People don't know the beauty of this shyt.

I never owned a new one either, bought used or got lucky to get a hand me down because a family member copped a new one.

It's crazy how my car died at the end of 2012 and sadly my Great Aunt had to be put into a nursing home at the same time. She had a brand new car, she can't drive anymore so my mom is the executor of her will. My mom uses my aunts and hooked me up with her car (it has no AC, roll down windows, no CD player, bare bones car but I love it)

That new car is usually just another bill hanging over your head. Bottom line a car is vehicle, it's utility item.

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

Seems like a concept in America with all the social networking and focus on celebrities and whatnot but I gotta be honest, once I stopped giving a fak about "the Jones'" and people's opinions, my money started looking .

TBH, the hardest person to cope with on this is my dad. In my family we were always raised to think that status matters and the size of your house MATTERS and what kind of car you drive defines you and whatnot. Now don't get me wrong I like nice shyt and I do want a big ass house but living that day-to-day life for appearances is straight garbage. Or maybe I'd just rather have money in the bank than a bunch of baller shyt. Or hell, maybe I'm just cheap. Who knows.

Anyone else live well beneath their means?

I stunted for a while before I realized what was important, which is financial leverage.
After I focused on my spritual health, all of that stuff became insignificant and even my true quality of life has improved.

I still bag most of the chicks I get at, even without the dope whip and fly loft.

Got bougie PhD chicks spending the night in slab houses in the hood, and they aint complaining.

You never wanna be in a position where you HAVE to get a dollar by any means, just to justify your social value to other people.

Ish is unhealthy. I like being very liquid and it has afforded me to engage in some business endeavors that are doing well at the moment. Once I figure out how to invest properly, its a wrap.

The point is, don't fall for the okey doke. Getting it and spending it is a process that will keep you in a loop forever.

If you want to retire early, more than likely you're gonna have to make some sacrifices.

 

[TLR Is Mental Poison]

I do. I always try to save money. I drive a 2002 car. I've never owned a new car. I've never been to Europe or Asia on a vacation. What do I do with my cash? I buy nice music instruments because I'm a musician. But even then, I'll get something on clearance or on sale or used.

My father is good with his money. I'm careful with my money because I started out of college behind the eight-ball. College was tough. Looking for spare change from the vending machine was the lowest of my lows to get a snack. Never stole money. So, because of that, I have zero-f***ing empathy for my dumb ass sister in laws who spend money stupidly. One of them declared bankrupty, condo got foreclosed, doesn't have a line of credit, what does she do months lather??? Buys a $600 iPad on a 3-month payment plan. It's like why don't you save up for it. And what do you really need an iPad for? This is not a 20-something woman. She's in her 40s. I want to call her a functional retard, but my wife would get mad.

My father-in-law is a nice guy but he's not good with money either. I gave him back a $100 gift for my daughter recently. I know he can't afford it. Why you might ask? He had originally sent a $100 check, I deposited it but that bounced. I told him that a huge money gift is not important. Then, he sends a $100 money order. I deposited it and sent him a money order back. It's like I know he's struggling, but he's want to look like he's Mr. Generosity and money is not a problem, when it is.

Thats the thing. For a lot of people, embarrasment/humility is the worst thing. Its the same with those dudes who are like "man i would rather die than let a dude disrespect me". If you don't have it you don't have it. To me its more embarrasing to see someone who doesn't have it go broke to try to front, than just be like 'man we strugglin outchea'. That takes way more character.

 

[GoldenGlove]

I do. I always try to save money. I drive a 2002 car. I've never owned a new car. I've never been to Europe or Asia on a vacation. What do I do with my cash? I buy nice music instruments because I'm a musician. But even then, I'll get something on clearance or on sale or used.

My father is good with his money. I'm careful with my money because I started out of college behind the eight-ball. College was tough. Looking for spare change from the vending machine was the lowest of my lows to get a snack. Never stole money. So, because of that, I have zero-f***ing empathy for my dumb ass sister in laws who spend money stupidly. One of them declared bankrupty, condo got foreclosed, doesn't have a line of credit, what does she do months lather??? Buys a $600 iPad on a 3-month payment plan. It's like why don't you save up for it. And what do you really need an iPad for? This is not a 20-something woman. She's in her 40s. I want to call her a functional retard, but my wife would get mad.

My father-in-law is a nice guy but he's not good with money either. I gave him back a $100 gift for my daughter recently. I know he can't afford it. Why you might ask? He had originally sent a $100 check, I deposited it but that bounced. I told him that a huge money gift is not important. Then, he sends a $100 money order. I deposited it and sent him a money order back. It's like I know he's struggling, but he's want to look like he's Mr. Generosity and money is not a problem, when it is.

@ a payment plan for a tablet. That's just showing a person's lack of priorities.

When I got my house, I made sure I had enough saved up so I could get what I wanted by the time I moved in or close to it. People don't plan for shyt with their finances. When I had my house warming all my friends were like...



"How you get all this? You slinging drugs?"

I'm like naw man, when I was at home living with my fukking parents (like they are now) I wasn't out with yal nikkas blowing my money. I knew what I wanted, and I knew how I was going to get it and how I wasn't.

I'm cheap but I like nice things. That's a hard concept for people to understand. Tricking it off every night in the club/bar... never made sense to me.

 

[SouthernBelle]

This is how I've always been. I wasn't born with a silver spoon so when I started making money my first instinct was to try to build my wealth instead of balling out of control. I need the comfort of knowing that I have money reserved so I usually live below my means and save a lot. When I had a salaried job, my roommate actually had to sit me down and encourage me to do a little more for myself.

 

[YouMadd?]

Only shyt I really buy plurge on are Books, Movies, CDs/Vinyl, electronics, and I'll spend money on food produce and meat from the butcher... I am trying to live a minimalist lifestyle with the things that make me happy.

I go on a nice little vacation every year

Once or twice a year i'll buy some clothing that'll last a long time and has functional value...

Other than that, I still refuse to buy a car because I live in a big city...

At this point I am 25 years old and I figure I have about 10-15 years to make/save as much money as possible before I end up starting a family.

I never go out and "party", don't drink alcohol aside from haveing a 6 pack of nice beer a week.

Still finding areas where I can cut costs though...

 

[philmonroe]

I don't know if anybody mentioned this but imo living beneath your means is when you can comfortably cop a bentley (other big time material items) and you cop a used maxima (or equivalent material item) type flow. I don't really think of living beneath your means being when dudes don't really have the money to spend anyway and their just not buying the luxuries they would if they had it. I guess it could be considered doing so I just don't look at it like that. I don't many people like that that have big money and are living beneath their means. Those types are usually spending their money except for one of my dads friends that mofo is just cheap though. I know alot of 9 to 5 types that don't buy luxury stuff and think just off that they are living beneath their means though.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I wouldn't call it living beneath my means, but I make purchases considering what my family needs, not how we look.

That doesn't mean we are bummy, because looking clean and presentable is important. But worrying about brand names or new cars/big homes, nah I aint about that life. We are happy healthy and content with what we have and we continue to be better as individuals and a family.

 

[BlvdBrawler]

I do. I always try to save money. I drive a 2002 car. I've never owned a new car. I've never been to Europe or Asia on a vacation. What do I do with my cash? I buy nice music instruments because I'm a musician. But even then, I'll get something on clearance or on sale or used.

My father is good with his money. I'm careful with my money because I started out of college behind the eight-ball. College was tough. Looking for spare change from the vending machine was the lowest of my lows to get a snack. Never stole money. So, because of that, I have zero-f***ing empathy for my dumb ass sister in laws who spend money stupidly. One of them declared bankrupty, condo got foreclosed, doesn't have a line of credit, what does she do months lather??? Buys a $600 iPad on a 3-month payment plan. It's like why don't you save up for it. And what do you really need an iPad for? This is not a 20-something woman. She's in her 40s. I want to call her a functional retard, but my wife would get mad.

My father-in-law is a nice guy but he's not good with money either. I gave him back a $100 gift for my daughter recently. I know he can't afford it. Why you might ask? He had originally sent a $100 check, I deposited it but that bounced. I told him that a huge money gift is not important. Then, he sends a $100 money order. I deposited it and sent him a money order back. It's like I know he's struggling, but he's want to look like he's Mr. Generosity and money is not a problem, when it is.

at the bolded.