Busting the Myths: Living the Lush Life on a Dime

Tight Shoes, Money Monks and A Load of Rubbish

Let's get clear on this one idea.  You don't want to pinch your lifestyle like a too-small pair of Hush Puppies.  Going without your morning latte is not going to help your bottom line, and doing without will most certainly make you cranky.  SectorMatic is not about money grubbing, squeezing the penny in your loafers, or even getting hugely rich, though that's not a bad side effect under the right conditions.

The word BUDGET does not imply lack - it implies control. Can you imagine what would happen if the U.S. Government didn't have a budget? Now that is a scary thought. Those guys run amok as it is. The purpose of providing you this web site and blog about living well is... so you can live well. Even Donald Trump has a plan for taking care of his money. A spending plan. A budget. There, I said it again. Budget! Get over it.

Here's anothing idea for you. Money is not the most important thing - unless you don't have any. 

Having money is important for what it can help you accomplish. The ancient text reads that "Man cannot serve both God and mammon, mammon being money." Don't think I'm being sanctimonious here. This line is a quote from an old Clint Eastwood movie, Pale Rider. Okay, so he was playing a preacher. 

Even if you're an atheist, I'll bet you still have a code of ethics that you live by - things you will or will not do to keep your life running smoothly and avoid winding up in the slammer. Serving that which is righteous only makes sense. So serve the higher idyll and let your money serve you. Ever try to build a church without any money? Boy, that's hard. Sure it's possible, but money makes it a whole lot easier. Get to know money. Learn to be okay with having it. It sure beats the alternative.

Have an idea about the goods you own and about where you put your money. Some people swear by that bumper sticker platitude, "Live simply so that others may simply live." Mahatma Ghandi was a great guy, but a little too stringy for my taste. I concur strongly with his notions about peace. We diverge on the point of prosperity. Living simply so that others may simply live implies that the world is limited in its resources and there just ain't enough to go around. 

Excuse me, but this country is one giant bread basket between two fish-laden coasts. The wild blackberries in Seattle alone could feed the whole state 45 times over, for cryin' outloud. They've got great trucks mowing the things down so the vines don't consume the freeway. I swear, it's eat or be eaten. Those suckers are virulent! And this is only one tiny corner of a great big world we're talkin' about here. Surely there is plenty to go around. Implying that my austerity will save somebody's life is a guilt trip I just don't need, thank you. You can keep my ticket to that ride. I think it was Eleanor Roosevelt who said, "You can't be miserable enough to make someone else happy. You can't be poor enough to make someone else rich." Even if she didn't say it, I think it sounds just like her. Bright gal. We'll give her credit this time... she's not around to refute it anyway. (If you ascribe this to another, more worthy author, drop me a line and we'll chat about it.)

Live simply, sure, but not because you're a pessimist. Do it so you can enjoy the good things you already have - the things you love. Don't heap junk on top of clutter. Retail therapy is a dead end, yet its practiced in every corner of our society by folks of all ages. Have you ever looked at a kid's bedroom? Rich or poor, in most cases it's a mess. The floor is littered with toys that have been picked up, played with for a moment, then tossed aside as another prettier, shinier one took its place in the hand. I mean, how many Hot Wheels does one kid need? The same can be said for a lot of people's garages. Or storage units. Or closets. Or even the trunk of your car. What gobs of abundance do you have lying around that you're not using? What gadget are you cursing as you trip over it? Why do you let this stuff own you if you don't use it, need it, or appreciate it? Post this stuff on e-Bay and give yourself the gift of a couple grand. Think of it as a windfall. Put the money into an account and make it work for you - a Margarita Fund for your golden years. (No, not before.) Simplify your surroundings. Practice owning the basics first, then move on to specialization.

How to Promote Your Own Prosperity

Now that we've established those three things, here are a few practical methods to help keep money hanging around you like a fine perfume. These techniques have been around for thousands of years. I'm doing my part in the chain of wisdom by linking them to you.  To read the rest of this article, click here....