Comments on: Turning Fear into Joy

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:12:45 +0000

This recipe sounds delicious-I’m printing it out! My husband thinks olives are the worst, so it will have to be a meal without him but it sounds so good. Mary

By: kcli

kcli — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:20:46 +0000

I am so proud of you and the lifestyle you support! You are on the right track and do a wonderful job at motivating others through your honesty.

I am 51 and have been totally debt free for 10 years. I enjoy receiving your daily wisdom and the positive message it shares with others. Because you express so many of the values I support, it is a daily reminder of how I was able to reach my goal. Keep it up and you’ll find your lifestyle becomes a habit with an incredible return on your investment! All the best…

By: Luci

Luci — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 04:04:17 +0000

@Chuck Trent has mentioned before “what if” for that scenario several times.

If a bunch of money fell into my lap, I’d live mostly the same way. I would pay off my debts, maybe buy a car with better gas mileage, and save/invest the rest of the money. I would probably go on vacation for two weeks (probably within the country though) with my family, but I think that would be the extent of my frivilous activities. My grandfather is extremely wealthy and lives very modestly. It’s just how he was raised, and values he instilled in us as we were growing up. Not everyone is obsessed with keeping up with the Joneses or having the newest and “best” of everything.

As for this post, I really enjoyed it! I like that you’re getting back into the habits of your old posts. I’m always interested in your meal plans for your family – it inspires me to have healthy, yummy, and frugal meals on the menu as well :)

I like that you seem to remind yourself of where you’ve been and don’t want to return to – not just for yourself, but to connect with readers as well. There is hope! It just takes some serious prioritizing and hard work.

By: BirdDog

BirdDog — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Nice post! Fear of weighing over 300 pounds again along with the joy of being active makes me get up and go to the gym in the morning. I know exactly where you are coming from.

By: Dash

Dash — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 18:18:52 +0000

I completely agree. A lot of enjoyment comes from spending time with people that are important to you, and catching up at home is sometimes even more fun and relaxing than going out and spending money.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:13:23 +0000

@Chuck: Who wouldn’t?

Good points. All a matter of putting your long-term goals ahead of, or even replacing, your short-term ones. I used to live like that too back in college. I don’t want to go there again – not only the obvious abuse of my finances, but also other non-money things, like having severe hangovers almost every morning from partying all the time. I just got sick of living that lifestyle. I mean sure I miss going out with my friends and going out to eat, but when I think about what matters most in my life (boyfriend, pets, family, friends, future goals like getting married and owning a home, being debt free, etc.), I pick that in a heartbeat.

By: chuck

chuck — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:16:24 +0000

trent if a huge amount of money plopped into your lap would you go back to your old life? you obviously enjoyed your old life or you wouldn’t have lived it that way.