OP
Money tree
- Thread starter polexican23
- Start date
roscoe2000
Well-known member
It's not how much money you make, it's what you do with it. For me it has been alot of sweat, tears and some blood.....chipping at a mountian. For the young one out there....you just need to stay focus and watch want your spend. For us older guys....just enjoy what you have.
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Moose97
Well-known member
Man, I think we've all been at that place (green - eyed monster). You look around and "think" everybody else is better off than you are. I've spent the last decade working on my family cars (93 f-150, 96 suburban, 06 sequoia) out of a 10X16 shed on a piece of plywood on the ground. No shade, no cover, no heat and no air. I've spent the last 2 years building a 16X20 shop. Still not complete but close. Couldn't see spending $600.00 on a door so I built it myself. (wife loves it) We live in a smaller house than all of our friends. Three kids and my wife and I in 3 beds and 2 baths. It'll be paid for in just a few more years. Wife hasn't worked outside the home in 15 years. We live out in the county. 4 acres, a barn I built with buddies from church, 4 horses (that's where all the extra money goes). It all takes time. You can't get everything at once. It'll all happen soon enough. Just don't make dumb decisions!
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
It's just like racing cars, flying aerobatics, fist fights, etc - there is always someone bigger and badder.
Moose97
Well-known member
Check out a post called "Welcome to my little garage!" on here by Nimrod. Nothing expensive about it but man is it cool. The kind of place you would want to hang out in. They don't all have to be money pits.
It all takes time. You can't get everything at once. It'll all happen soon enough. Just don't make dumb decisions!
Straight to the point advice for a young couple wanting everything.
Glammers37
Well-known member
No money tree here. When we 1st got married I didn't hardly have a pot to piss in, or a window to throw it out of. Worked out of a uninsulated 1 stall garage, in MN. Worked a lot of overtime and did a lot of moonlighting. 35 yrs. later, i have a new home ( i built mostly myself) 36 x 50 x 14 shop main shop & 15 x 20 wood shop. All mine. My son just turned 25, works 16 hrs a day as mechanic, races a dirt modified and farms with his uncle. He Bought an old farm, fixed up an old 40 x 80 Quonset shed. On his way to a beautiful shop. Unless you inherit a lot of money or win the lottery, hard work and common sense is the only thing that will get you there. An old guy told me once, there are 24 hrs in a day and you only need to sleep about 6. So get working. Not bragging by any means, I am no genius, just shows it can be done.
Good luck
Good luck
You really need to be careful judging a book by its cover. Just because someone has quite a bit of nice or expensive stuff, doesn't mean they are rich, or even that well off. Same goes for the flip side of that.
I've met alot of people that appear to be wealthy, and yet in reality have very little $ to their name. Likewise I have met folks that look like they don't know where there next meal is going to come from, yet could easily buy out an entire steakhouse if they wanted to. Now of course there are statically common occurrences, but making a blanket statement of assuming wealth based on possessions (especially tools) is pretty ignorant IMHO.
Take me for example. I'm one of the younger members on here. It is pretty well known, since I have stated time and time again, that I own a miller Syncrowave 250. Now you might do a google search and say wow, that machine has a price of $3500+, this guy must be loaded. Well you would be making an incorrect assumption. I bought the machine used for <$400, which is still a hefty sum of cash IMHO. Many of the folks on here do the same and can build up a very nice assortment of tools for very little. I buy used, because I have to, and I do like that "USA stamp"
again like many folks on here. Heck, go look at the garage sale thread if you want to see some super nice stuff for cheap. 
Growing up we never had, nor do I currently have cable TV, designer clothes, or in more recent times a smart phone. I have received many a jokes about this over the years, by people that appeared to "have it all". I was taught, "waste not, want not" and to me cable, data plan, super fancy clothes, expensive restaurants are just unnecessary expenses that take away from something else.
I'm curious, why do you consider yourself "poor", what if anything are you doing to change that? I like to say "You can't change the hand you are dealt in life, but what you do what that hand is up to you". Almost everyone could sit and ***** about setbacks in their life, granted some more rightfully than others. If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you've always got" change ain't easy, especially changing for the better. I would like to challenge you to sit down and look at your finances, see where you can cut back on and save for the future things you would like to have.
All the best
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BigAl62
Well-known member
I'm still here because my dad still needs me once a week and I'm fighting a work comp case that won't end (almost 4 years so far). When my dad's gone, we're gone! Not that I want him gone, but he's in poor health and it may be a blessing. My wife won't miss her family (except her cousins 4 year old son) and we've already decided on Iowa. My wife has a friend there and we've visited many time and found it to be much better than where we're at now. I'll be leaving my sister and 2 brothers, but they understand our situation and would be up for once or twice a year visits. Then I can plant a money tree or at least a small bush!
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
Those of you who have lived in places like this all your life, should really get out and see some other places. There are seriously places that are just down right depressing - Chicago, Detriot, New York, etc.. Of course, this is my own personal opinion, but I've seen more of the world than most and have seen some places that are completely uplifting and other places that just have a black cloud hanging over them..
In my lifetime (40+ years), I've moved 4 houses down the street from where my mom changed my diapers and I learned to ride a bike. (other than 6 years in college at UF)
I've actually traveled quite a bit, and most people would consider where I live to be "paradise".I eat my peanut butter sandwiches for lunch at work, and drive my VW with 179k miles on it, and don't have cable, all because I want to buy a second home in Maine... (my wife's home state) Surveying is not a filthy rich profession, especially the last 5 years.
Set attainable goals, and keep your eyes on those goals. At least once a week, I get chided at work about my PB sandwich. "Don't you ever get tired of those PB sandwiches?" The truth is I sometimes do, but my long term goal outweighs the short term taste of the same lunch.
coljar
Well-known member
I could have built my newer garage sooner than I did if it wasn't for the fact that my wife has a hobby too...........horses, and anyone that has them can tell you, it's an expensive hobby. What equipment and tools that wasn't passed down to me, I've slowly purchased through the years and like others have said, I've looked for bargains.
yup that's for sure.... at least I am a couple counties removed from C(r)ook county, so I guess it could be worse
I am unfortunately close enough though, to be caught on the shirt tails of the "highest gasoline in the country" that Chicago has gotten to be known for....
I live in Kankakee county and work in far NW will county (lived in Eastern Will County from the time I was born til I was ~23ish, I am sooo sic n tired of Illinois but am stuck here
I have seen various parts of the country and most (that I have seen, anyway) seem nicer than here. Granted, I am far from having "seen it all!"
He11 for the guy that complains if he spends >$70 a month in fuel, I can't get by on $70 a WEEK in fuel, but my monthly car payments are and always be $0; currently split the drive between a 93 Dakota and a 97 Wrangler
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Zebedeewesty
Well-known member
Its nice to see peoples garages and shops that have 50, 60 or 70k dollars in them. Gives me something to aspire to. I know unless those magic 6 numbers come up on the lottery i'll never be able to afford something as nice but its still nice to look.
I'm hoping to get my garage done and useable for under $2k and thats including the cost of the concrete foundation.
I've scrimped and saved for years now to get enough $$$ to make a start and everytime something more important seems to drain the pot, be it new tyres for my bus, unexpected bills or whatever.
I'm hoping to get my garage done and useable for under $2k and thats including the cost of the concrete foundation.
I've scrimped and saved for years now to get enough $$$ to make a start and everytime something more important seems to drain the pot, be it new tyres for my bus, unexpected bills or whatever.
OP
polexican23
Banned
Peanut butter rocks my friend !
Has to be crunchy!! Oh and I stay away from jelly, I prefer using local honey on it. Holy smokes if you havent tried it, give it a whirl.
Steevo
Well-known member
Rather than a money tree, life is full of money shrubs, money weeds and money plants.
You just have to recognize them and make it your priority to gather them, save them, and accumulate them until you get where you want to be.
Every place you can shave a dollar from your expenses is a dollar in the bank. Everywhere you can eliminate paying interest on stuff is money in your pocket.
Every coupon or sale you take advantage of is money saved.
Every car you drive for ten years instead of two is a huge bonus.
I was 52 years old before I had enough saved to start on my workshop, and then spent six years finishing it incrementally as I could afford things. I had to make compromises due to cost, space, etc., but managed to get a finished shop put together, with heat, water, space to work, storage, etc.
Setting goals and sticking to a plan is how us average Joe's put together something too big to bite off all at once.
You just have to recognize them and make it your priority to gather them, save them, and accumulate them until you get where you want to be.
Every place you can shave a dollar from your expenses is a dollar in the bank. Everywhere you can eliminate paying interest on stuff is money in your pocket.
Every coupon or sale you take advantage of is money saved.
Every car you drive for ten years instead of two is a huge bonus.
I was 52 years old before I had enough saved to start on my workshop, and then spent six years finishing it incrementally as I could afford things. I had to make compromises due to cost, space, etc., but managed to get a finished shop put together, with heat, water, space to work, storage, etc.
Setting goals and sticking to a plan is how us average Joe's put together something too big to bite off all at once.
justanengineer
Well-known member
Something you might consider for the future - every location has an "earnings/cost of living" ratio that has a serious impact on your spending ability. Frankly. for me Chicago would be a losing battle bc of the high cost of living that kills that equation. When I graduated college a few years ago my parents were half moved from the big house/property I grew up on to their smaller retirement home and they offered me the big place free. Being in the NYC suburbs I couldve commuted into the city and made bank, but honestly didnt want that lifestyle and wouldve fought a very high cost of living. Rather than do that, I moved to ~2 hours south of you in Indiana where I make almost as much money but at a much lower cost of living. The "free" property came with a pretty decent tax bill (~$5k IIRC) not to mention ridiculous utilities. Here, the $1200 I pay is less than most people's cell phone bills, and both gas and electric are so cheap that we hardly turn things off. If I need to move and cant make a serious chunk of change on the house, the windows will be boarded up and it will be my vacation house until I can.
mrodgers
Well-known member
Ha, we bought the house after 3 years of marriage and living in a trailer. We lost a bathroom, gained a bedroom, lost some place to put a table to eat at but I did gain a 22x24 garage. I live with 3 girls with only 1 bathroom. The dining table sits in the middle between the kitchen and living room after we knocked out the wall. What I gained in bedroom space (the added bedroom) is not as much as I lost in bathroom space. The master bathroom was bigger than my youngest daughter's bedroom and the 1 bathroom is smaller than the extra bathroom in the trailer. Can't really use that garage much though because it's 0° out there in the winter and 135° out there in the summer.
We gained 8 square feet from the trailer to the house, LOL. Certainly isn't a McMansion, more of a McThimble.
I don't buy very old cars, 2 years old for my wife and 5 years old for me. They only last 7-8 years because they will have 200+ on them and will be complete rustbuckets here by then. Anything over 5 or 6 years old around here will already be on their way to rustbucket 200k mile cars. I prefer to get them at around 100 for me and 50 for her, that way I don't have to buy a "new" car every 2 years.
Cell phones? I have 3 Android cell phones prepaid that cost me $5/month each for 2 and $10 for the 3rd. Soon to add a 4th for another $5 since the girls are splitting up between schools. I think people are idiots for paying what they do for cell phones. I don't need to surf the internet while I'm driving down the road...
I'm jealous of it seems just about everyone on the internet. Everyone seems to have more money than I do. I started biking 2 weeks ago as I only have 2 more years to live before I exceed family history. My cholesterol and triglycerides are through the roof, I need to do something. Tough to bike for exercise on a 7 year old Walmart bike though. The thing clunks with every rotation of the crank, I can't put much torque on it or the chain starts to skip around, and I have to stop at the bottom of hills to manually push the derailleurs to get a lower gear. Heaven forbid I need to stop, the brakes don't work, I brake Fred Flintstone style. I can get them adjusted so they stop me, or actually they prevent me from moving because they will rub the rim and I can't get the bike going. Trying to get info on what bike to get and all I can get from the internet is I need about $1200 for a decent bike?
I do want hobbies as all work and no play will drive you insane. I'm going insane since I do nothing. I started getting into photography, but quickly outgrew in a few weeks my $200 camera. Everyone else spends about $2500+ on camera equipment, how? My $200 camera sits collecting dust since it's broken, I can't do what I want with it anyways, and don't have cash for another camera.
Want to get into paddling to get the kids out of the house. My oldest tried out a kayak the other week at the lake. Loved it. Wifey says just go get a kayak and canoe. Yeah, the $139 kayak at Dunhams will be fine for her, I can find a used canoe easy enough and cheap, but then there's 3 PFD's, paddles, and some way of hauling them with my Jetta that I have to spend money on. Now it gets too expensive to afford (though really the roughly $350 I would spend on just the boats is too expensive.)
Why does it seem that everyone has more disposable income than I do? My roughly $50/month of disposable income gets converted into this one needs new contacts, that one needs new shoes for school, I need money in my lunch account, we're out of milk, the car needs an oil change, etc, etc. I'm not poor, my wife works part time and puts us exceeding median income a good bit. We don't eat out and eat real food, not processed from a box. That takes care of $1000/month. Like I said, I live in a McThimble, not a McMansion and to afford just the McThimble I live out in the middle of nowhere. Gas alone just us going to work takes $600 out of my pocket. Right there with gas and groceries is half of both of our monthly income. Sure I could move closer to work to save on gas, but I can't see how increasing my house payment by $1000 will save me enough of my $600 gas budget to make sense.
So, yeah, I hear ya OP. It seems to never end.
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Moose97
Well-known member
Its nice to see peoples garages and shops that have 50, 60 or 70k dollars in them. Gives me something to aspire to. I know unless those magic 6 numbers come up on the lottery i'll never be able to afford something as nice but its still nice to look.
I'm hoping to get my garage done and useable for under $2k and thats including the cost of the concrete foundation.
I've scrimped and saved for years now to get enough $$$ to make a start and everytime something more important seems to drain the pot, be it new tyres for my bus, unexpected bills or whatever.
I poured my foundation and it sat for over a year before I had the cash to start the structure. The wife said, "Go ahead and get a foundation then you'll be motivated to get the rest done." She was right. Do what you can and work toward the rest!
Zebedeewesty
Well-known member
I'm calling in a lot of favours from mates to get it done. The only problem is stuff has to wait until they can get days off/have time spare to do it.
Ideally i want a dry watertight work space before the weather turns bad as i just can't stand the thought of working under a tarp in the winter again.
Ideally i want a dry watertight work space before the weather turns bad as i just can't stand the thought of working under a tarp in the winter again.
James E
Well-known member
I'm fortunate to have what I have, but what's here got here by "eating the elephant" one bite at a time over 30 years. It's still tasty and I ain't done.
Dude, it's great that you married a rich woman but calling her an elephant is not cool.
Like a lot of others have said, Just take bites that you can chew, in a few years you will be well on your way to a awesome shop.
I started when I was 18, saved up the cash and ordered a CM tools set and boxes been adding on one bite at a time since then.
It took me 5 years to save up and build my present shop and now I'm in the process of saving up to build a new garage/shop at home.
I started when I was 18, saved up the cash and ordered a CM tools set and boxes been adding on one bite at a time since then.
It took me 5 years to save up and build my present shop and now I'm in the process of saving up to build a new garage/shop at home.
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
I honestly say I can't feel sorry for you, but I feel your pain. Just imagine starting out at 18, getting married with a son on the way, then lose everything in a divorce. Not just some things, but everything. My take home pay for a 40 hour week, was right at 40 dollars. I started my life over in 1990. I was divorced in 1990, remarried in 1990 with no credit, no anything, and working my *** off anywhere between 60 and 80 hours a week. The new wife and I bought our house in 1991, built a garage, still making $40/40 hours a week take home after child support and alimony, but manage to work enough to build a garage, remodel a kitchen, do some landscaping and took a $50,000 house and turned it into a $90,000 house. It wasn't easy to do, but it was making the right decisions. After a few years, my ex got married, and my son turned 18. I still was working between 60-80 hours a week as was my wife. We pooled our money, paid into the 401K as much as we could afford at the time. We bought our house we live in now in 1993 for just a tic over $100,000. I probably could have had the house paid off, but we put money into landscaping and remodeling. I then built a garage, and I built the wife a greenhouse or craft shed, whatever one calls it. But I worked, and worked, and worked.
Today, I'm proud of what we have. I never once bitched about work, or how much I was working, but the wife and I decided we would work what we could, when we could. I've never looked down my nose at someone who has less, nor have I ever been jealous of someone who has more. I am who I am because of what I have done. And if I don't have a pedigree hanging on the wall, and because of that, I never had a job sitting in an office with people under me, that was nobody's fault other than mine.
What I am thankful for was the initiative to work. I also had the initiative to never just settle for something and take it for face worth. I knew if I wanted more, I would have to get off my *** and get more. I've held down a steady job for 33 years and was thankful of being able to go to that job every day and also having the smarts and initiative to work my hardest and be the best at what I was doing. I was lucky to be able to be a toolmaker and also a tool designer, and made fairly good money. But if I was shoveling **** out of a horse barn, I would give it my best just to impress someone. And if shoveling **** was the only thing I knew how to do, I would ask if there was more **** to shovel just to impress someone, or look for a job that had more stalls to shovel shot out of.
Today....Due to doctor screwups, I can't work like I used to although I would like to. I just consider myself lucky to have been able to do what I did.
So not knowing your age, although I'm sort of taking it that you are in maybe your 20's......You're still a young pup and have a lot of years to get where you want. A lot of it is sacrificing the toys to save some money and invest it wisely. No matter which side of the fence you are standing on, the other side will always be greener. It's all about the time of day you look at it.
winnipegtibook
Well-known member
PM sent to Mcrogers
Moose97
Well-known member
"What I am thankful for was the initiative to work. I also had the initiative to never just settle for something and take it for face worth. I knew if I wanted more, I would have to get off my *** and get more. I've held down a steady job for 33 years and was thankful of being able to go to that job every day and also having the smarts and initiative to work my hardest and be the best at what I was doing. I was lucky to be able to be a toolmaker and also a tool designer, and made fairly good money. But if I was shoveling **** out of a horse barn, I would give it my best just to impress someone. And if shoveling **** was the only thing I knew how to do, I would ask if there was more **** to shovel just to impress someone, or look for a job that had more stalls to shovel shot out of."
Well said sir...well said.
Well said sir...well said.
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
LOL..
Apparently, if you think working smarter not harder equates to wallowing in mediocrity, the phrase is lost on you.
I'd imagine, this is on par with "I couldn't care less" and "I could care less."
They're both right.
justanengineer
Well-known member
Guess its "lost" on me too. I work with quite a few folks who think its "smarter" to enjoy everything beyond 40/wk bc were salaried, who think its silly to attend professional development events, or to learn things not directly relevent to their current job. When one role stops being necessary or something else interests me, I can pretty easily change roles. Not so easily if at all for them.
Money and opportunity comes with ability and work, whether or not it appears "smarter" at the time.
I started biking 2 weeks ago as I only have 2 more years to live before I exceed family history. ... Trying to get info on what bike to get and all I can get from the internet is I need about $1200 for a decent bike?
Yeah, the $139 kayak at Dunhams will be fine for her, I can find a used canoe easy enough and cheap, but then there's 3 PFD's, paddles, and some way of hauling them with my Jetta that I have to spend money on.
Picked up my used GT Zaskar mountain bike: $200 from a pawn shop. Somebody paid much more than that for it originally... (Put 10 miles on it last night.) I was looking for something to replace my bent Specialized Hard Rock (bike got bent when we were gently tapped from behind in the rain by a kid in a pickup truck at a traffic light in a small town with the bikes on a hitch rack.) Bent the crank on my wife's Huffy too, so I found her a practically brand new Raleigh MTB at Goodwill for $79. She commented that it is easier to pedal than the Huffy was.
Picked up the Thule rack for my MkIV Jetta_Wagon from CL for $85, with the kayak kit. Saw an adult sized neoprene PFD at the thrift store tonight for $6. Kayaks and canoes are all over CL, and more should be coming up shortly up north as people transition to winter sports... Buy in the off season, or on clearance. I picked up three ski ropes in Maine one October for $5-10 each!
Obviously, I need to start picking up stuff for my GJ buddies.
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
I think you missed my point.
What I was trying to say was I think you fellas are attempting to place attributes to the phrase that don't exist.
Working smarter, not harder is sorta like using the right tool for the job. Killing two birds with one stone. Doing things in a logical order.
Being what the message board that we are all posting on is, I bet we all have garages full of "smarter not harder."
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Kevin C
Well-known member
I'm all about harder not smarter... It teaches you something. I'm not sure what... But when I figure it out, I will let you know.
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
So, learning to make 100 widgets in 1 hour that used to take 3 means you have to stop working?
I'd simply make 1,000 widgets in a 10 hour period rather than 333.33..
Attempting to educate slackers via the Internet. LOL. Best of luck.
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
Would I take the rest of the week off?
No. I'd work an extra two days and make my quota for the next two weeks as well. Then, I'd take off the remainder of that week and the next weeks (since my quota is met), and use income from my 3 (yes, 3) side sources of income and fly myself and family to the beach.
Not sure how or why you're attempting to paint me into the slacker corner, simply because I disagree with your "hard and smarter" but you're barking up the wrong tree.
ETA: Please go back and read post #26..
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I’m in the Always work smarter not harder camp. If you own the widget factory of course you make as many as you can in (8 hours) that’s the only way to get ahead. If your job is to take down scaffolding as you take it apart the ground man doesn’t drop it all over the ground. He leans it against the building so when you load it you don’t have to bend over a hundred times to pick it all up. (That’s Smart) Anyone can make money working overtime, what a person needs is the best paying job they can get. If you chose to spend your life working overtime all you’re really doing is exchanging that time for time later. And nobody knows how much time they’re going to have later.
Belly and Duck, you guys are two hounddogs that have treed the same ****, just on opposite sides of the tree.
You both have the work ethic to get ahead in life, you set the goal and take whatever path to get there.
For the OP, you have to make hay while the sun shines. If you want to get ahead in life, you have to bust your *** but not break your back while making good decisions.
You both have the work ethic to get ahead in life, you set the goal and take whatever path to get there.
For the OP, you have to make hay while the sun shines. If you want to get ahead in life, you have to bust your *** but not break your back while making good decisions.
wdrumheller
Well-known member
I spent college with roommates in a cheap-o apartment that sucked. I worked, and saved money all that time.
After college, I bought a cheap townhouse, and rented 2/3 of it to a friend for the mortgage payment. I lived in one bedroom, and had a mini fridge. This went on for 5 years, while I worked, and was single, and had a limited budget and my garage was 10' x 15' and I loved it, and built potato guns, and other fix-it creations, fireball generator, RC cars... all from scrap parts.
I stayed single SURPRISE.
Then, I bought a manufacturing business 10 years ago with all my savings and a HUGE mortgage. Back to zero.
The business did well and grew and grew.
I still lived small bought a modest old house that needed a lot of work, and did it myself, and saved my money, even when I was making a lot. Drove used cars, no cable, old clothes, buying used cars to fix up, and selling them for profit... doing odd jobs for side money. Save Save Save.
Then I met my wife, and got married, then last year I decided that I would finally use the money I'd saved for 15 years of work and business gains, to build a massive garage, to house farm equipment, and all of the supplies we need to run a farm (which she really wants to do, so I say yes and enjoy it). It was just the excuse I was looking for.
Then the design got bigger and bigger and out of hand. Way over budget, and over sized. I have no regrets.
Now... my bank account... I can't look at it any more.
So, don't worry. Even though I have a big garage, it will take me 10 years to get back to normal financially, if not more. It was worth it.
If you save and save and save, then one day you just spend the money.
After college, I bought a cheap townhouse, and rented 2/3 of it to a friend for the mortgage payment. I lived in one bedroom, and had a mini fridge. This went on for 5 years, while I worked, and was single, and had a limited budget and my garage was 10' x 15' and I loved it, and built potato guns, and other fix-it creations, fireball generator, RC cars... all from scrap parts.
I stayed single SURPRISE.
Then, I bought a manufacturing business 10 years ago with all my savings and a HUGE mortgage. Back to zero.
The business did well and grew and grew.
I still lived small bought a modest old house that needed a lot of work, and did it myself, and saved my money, even when I was making a lot. Drove used cars, no cable, old clothes, buying used cars to fix up, and selling them for profit... doing odd jobs for side money. Save Save Save.
Then I met my wife, and got married, then last year I decided that I would finally use the money I'd saved for 15 years of work and business gains, to build a massive garage, to house farm equipment, and all of the supplies we need to run a farm (which she really wants to do, so I say yes and enjoy it). It was just the excuse I was looking for.
Then the design got bigger and bigger and out of hand. Way over budget, and over sized. I have no regrets.
Now... my bank account... I can't look at it any more.
So, don't worry. Even though I have a big garage, it will take me 10 years to get back to normal financially, if not more. It was worth it.
If you save and save and save, then one day you just spend the money.
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BellyUpFish
Well-known member
Everyone should be required to spend at least one summer in Alabama walking behind a tractor.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I agree. It should be a required high school credit to work a summer on a farm. Really teaches you what hard work is all about.
I was raised on a farm and even continued to work it for several years after I got married and moved away from parents home/farm. I am grateful for the work ethics that my parents taught me and to live within my means. Better yet to live less than my means. Always saving something and never afraid to take on side jobs for extra money. If it weren't for those teachings I would not be where the wife and I are today.
Mike.
Ohmthis
Well-known member
ONE word........Choices. I went to college to get a degree and found out I couldn't make any money with it. Instead of just working the same crappy job I made a choice to start over. I went into an electrical apprenticeship (5 years) and dug ditches and busted my ****. I chose to take extra classes in the that others skipped because they were tired of the schoole part. I turned out and could work on all aspects of the trade. I got the oppotunity to try maintenance and took more classes on things I was lacking there. I now make $70,000 a year in an area that the average income is around $40,000. I still don't have a shop yet, I had to make tough choices to use that money for other things. I don't regret my choices and some times I wear them as badge of honor. I'm not telling this to brag or preach. As a matter of fact it's not my problem if you don't get what others have. I don't say this in haste, but people are giving good advice it's up to you to "choose" to listen. My granpa told me you can have everything you want, just not at the same time!!!