DON'T KEEP UP WITH THE PACK

DON'T KEEP UP WITH THE PACK

Is your lifestyle more than you can afford? Have you been bitten by the bug of keeping up with the Joneses? Do you suffer from 'conspicuous consumption' simply to impress others? Easy credit makes it easy to spend money, you don't have. It could become an obsession, which could push you into a downward spiral. That's very different from the old days! You either had the money or you didn't. 

It makes no sense to focus on your social and economic status, compared to others. Break your downward spiral now! You shouldn't flaunt your possessions, like the feathers of a peacock. Stop this catastrophic thinking, before it's too late. You could lose everything and then some.

How you should be living and what you should be buying must be your decision alone, not that of mister advertising, nor that of your neighbour. You will always lose, at any income level. Do you realize, how many unhappy wealthy people there really are? Overspending, let alone overborrowing, leads to disaster! Wake up, people!

Don't keep up with the herd. Scaling back your lifestyle may not be easy, but is essential in order to keep afloat. Especially these days. Prices have risen everywhere. Just compare house prices with 50 years ago. Insane! Unsustainable, because no one will eventually be able to afford it. Would you think about living in a cave, like the Stone Age people of 5,000 years ago or like the 3 million Chinese in the Chinese province of Shanxi currently? You could save money! You could be forced to control your spending someday. Then nothing will be the same again.

After your 'golden' years, you could become penniless. This happened to millions of people, after the outbreak of war or revolution. That's why you should always prepare for the unthinkable, before it's too late. You don't have to be wealthy to build your own 'bunker', somewhere, stocked with canned food, water and gold. No, no guns and ammunition. Because they could be turned against you by your fellow human beings. Don't trust anyone, while Armageddon rages. And keep your mouth shut.

RICK SCHMULL