I know poor. I know $4 in my bank account poor. I know swimming in debt poor. Through my struggles though, I have discovered there are certain things I will never allow myself to be too poor for and some things you can skimp on when money is tight.
***DISCLAIMER*** With all of this you put your credit first. Having good credit is a big deal and it will follow you for years to come. No matter how tight things have gotten for me, I pay my bills first and foremost. I’ve been though the ringer financially, but my credit is still stellar. You can be poor and maintain good credit.
I’m am never too poor for…
- Therapy: Your mental health has to be your A #1 priority in your life. If you aren’t mentally sound, everything will come crashing down around you.
- Vacation/Experiences with Your Kids and Your Partner: I don’t mean flying to Hawaii or Paris, I mean take a staycation, go camping, whatever. Just take some time off of work away from your house every single year. Do this with the kids and do this at least once a year with your partner.
- Sports or a Hobby for Your Children: (You don’t have to do the whole competitive sports thing. Sign them up for rec sports, do something through the city or school that is affordable or possibly free. Having them involved in something that will develop their character and passions.)
Here’s where you can skimp!
- Luxury Self-Care: You know how I feel about self-care. It’s super important, but when you are tight on cash this is the first area you need to scale back on. I don’t mean don’t do your hair and nails. I mean you aren’t going to the salon! Do it yourself or find a beauty school student.
- Food: (Hear me out, kids do not care if you feed them mac ‘n cheese and chicken nuggets every night. The important part is sitting down and sharing a meal with the people you love. It doesn’t matter what is on your plate.)
- Home Improvements: (Do little things. Hang a wreath on your door, plant some flowers, do a little painting. These things are important. I strongly believe that when your surroundings look good you feel better, but this is Not the Time to renovate your kitchen or get new carpet!
In the end, money is great. I hate being stressed out about money all the time, but at the end of the day we have to remember that it’s our relationships that last forever.
