Taking Pride in being poor

When I was younger I loved playing a game called scum bum. The object of the game was to increase your stature by playing your cards right. With four people playing you had a president a vice president a scum and bum. The scum and bum had a disadvantage because they both had to give up their highest cards to the president and vice president. They then had to rely on luck and skill to try to reach the president position.  I thought about this Game while reading a blog I stumbled on today. Not only did this young couple have a huge safety net to fall back and use, it also seems that by using these safety nets has increased their stature to the point where they don't have the "blessing" of having to chose to accept or stay at a job they don't like or have a good offer for example

Again I haven't had that option to not accept a job or the option to quit my job and you can forget about moving in with my in laws. That and my current situation and being late on my mortgage payment and barely even making my mortgage which is half of the average mortgage payment out here I have decided I'M POOR and I'm proud of it. 

I'm not talking 3rd world country poor where I haven't eaten for days and my kids are running around with no clothes on but arguably by utah and united states standards I'm poor. I paid only half of my gas and electric bill this month. My mortgage is a week late I go out daily to grab extra needs we need my fridge is empty constantly my gas tank never gets filled all the way. My Windows have a plastic sheet taped around  It's time to face the music guys I'm poor. 

Now I can look around my room and my stuff might tell a different story. My flat screen t.v. (value 230 dollars) might tell you I'm not poor nor would my 100 dollar "used" t.v. stand. I might be able to get 50 dollars for my blue ray. Without listing all of my possessions my total value vs what I owe is in the negative it's time name the  disease and find a cure.

The unfortunate thing is that there is alot of people who are in the same situation as me who blind themselves with middle class attire when in actuality they are poor. Now again I'm not talking I haven't had a meal in days poor or I'm living on the streets poor. I am talking about a real degree of poor that is hidden in society. Probably because those who want our hard earned dollars want us to feel we have a middle class life and we  feel the need to compete with our neighbors to increase in our middle class lifestyle. I say just face the music l. Pick up your "poor card" play it hard and work even harder to achieve an honest middle class life. 

My favorite financial guy Dave Ramsey has a saying to "eat rice and beans". Reduce your living to the bare essentials, clean up your mess prepare for another financial disaster and live a wealthier life. In laments terms "go poor".  

Now if your still on the fence on accepting that you are in fact poor  let me ask a series of questions. If the answer is yes substitute the phrase"here's your sign" or in other words I'm poor after each question. 

Did you put your put your Christmas gifts on a credit card?.......

Do you fill up your gas tank to a certain dollar amount? ....

Did you skip a utility or phone payment this month?......

Do you struggles to pay your car payment? ....

DO you struggle to pay your rent or mortgage? ....

Do you rent because you can't afford a house?.....

Do you use the grace period on your house or car all the time? 

Are you on WIC?...

Have you recently filled a food order from your church or food bank?...

What about my favorite subject your car.

Do you outright own it?...

If not why?...

Are you long overdue for tires or maintenance?.... 

Here's your sign reader YOUR POOR

now what?

First recognize and accept that you are poor. Stop living a lie. Stop buying things that are miss labeled "needs" 

2nd pick up your poor card and use it! Can I go out to eat? No because I have the poor card. Can I get free food? Yes because I have the poor card. Can I buy presents for my relatives?  No because I have the poor card. Can I donate to charity?  That's your discretion.  Just remember it doesn't make sense to donate to an organization your on the verge of using.

3rd. Find out why you are poor and attack and overcome them.  Is It credit card debt? Mortgage payment? An unreasonable car payment that shouldn't have been bought in the first place because you justified it as a need!! ? Medical debt? A bigger house that you feel you deserve and won't settle for less?? You may need to move. Find out what's making you poor and work pay sell sell sell everything and anything until all of those questions above are answered with a strong YES!

My father in law told me that poor is a state of mind. This is coming from a person who has filed bankruptcy twice!! Maybe if he had entered that state of mind before those bankruptcys he might be doing alot better. 

So be poor reader you might already be and not know it because you're blinded by middle-class attire that is eating away at your paycheck. Force yourself to be poor before your forced to be poor.