How We Have Become Wealthy, Or At Least Seem Like It

It seems like most everyone dreams of being rich. But when it comes to having a healthy financial life, there are two paths: true financial freedom, and fake financial freedom. At least in the United States, people have access to credit to have the appearance of being financially healthy. In fact, many people even live paycheck to paycheck as a result of being so maxed out in their debt. But this doesn’t have to be the only way. Dave Ramsey says, “Live like no one else, so later you can live like no one else.” His daughter, Rachel Cruze, has a book called, “Love Your Life, Not Theirs”. All of this circles back to the idea of comparison.

When it comes to our family and friends, this always comes back. Whether its direct and obvious, or subtle, many people believe that because we are debt-free, we are “rich”. But the reality is, we are just on a budget!

Living on a Budget – Early Years

Long-time readers know that the FFL family has been living on a budget for at least 6 years now. Many of you know the struggle we faced getting on a budget, and the mountain of debt we were climbing. It was hard work. One person a spender, one person a spender, it was a challenge to get both people on the same page. But we knew we wanted to live a different life. Not living paycheck to paycheck, overdrawing our bank accounts, and staring at an overwhelming pile of debt.

Armed with the mindset to live a different life, we got on a budget. We set strict limits on spending like entertainment and personal money, and even pinched pennies at the grocery store. We lived on lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and pasta with red sauce. But we knew it was only going to last a short while. Short term pain for long term gains.

Current Experience on a Budget

As many of you know, it paid off. After being on a budget for the past several years, we are now debt free (except for the mortgage). We have been debt free for almost two years now. And we are still on a budget! Why? Because a budget is a plan for our money, and it makes sure we don’t overspend or have any leaks where money sneaks out in our finances.

The downside to this, is that people only see where we are now. Friends and family only see our current state of financial freedom. Which means being able to buy things we want, going out to dinner on the weekends, or buying larger than normal Christmas presents this year.

But, there is also an upside. We can use our experience, and our lifestyle, as a ministry. We get to share our experiences with others, and help them accomplish the same things we did. Although it often upsets us when spectators say how “rich” we are, it is a joy to help others in their financial journeys.