The Road Ahead, 1.4
This might almost be “TRA, 3.2,” because controlling personal debt could easily be seen as a citizen’s duty… at least modeling the concept for our wonderful Triumvirate of Greed and Envy and the rest of the little piggies in Congress…
Fred Reed proves once again that anyone can say something of profound wisdom. Talking about recent news:
One story says that Americans owe some bizarre sum on the credit card and god knows how much on the McMansion and on the five-hundred horsepower riding mower with a mini-combine, backhoe attachment, and satellite GPS for mowing the half acre. I think I’m supposed to feel sorry for them. Actually I think they are a persuasive argument for eugenics.
I don’t get it. What is wrong with these idiots? Debt is easy to avoid. Herewith some blinding wisdom: If you can’t pay for it, don’t buy it.
“[O]we some bizarre sum on the credit card”? If you’ve begun implementing a frugal, tightwad lifestyle, then you’ll have a lil extra at the end of every month to stock your pantry, add to your collection of silver (or some other form of savings) and pay down your debt. If we pull through the next four years and emerge bloody but unbowed, well and good. You’ll be in better financial shape than your neighbors who kept trying to ride the credit gravy train.
But, IF (and it’s still a remote “if”) the SHTF and we find ourselves facing TEOTWAWKI (Ragnorak, Armagedon, whatever), you might think owing big bucks to your credit card companies would be no big deal. The big reset button will have cleared all your debt.
Bum thinking, dude. It’s all about owning up to personal responsibility. Surviving with integrity. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul,” as someone once said…
Think of it this way: pay down/pay off your debts and there’s no TEOTWAWKI event, you have the monkey off your financial back and you are an honorable person. Pay down/pay off your debts and TEOTWAWKI does happen, you can start over knowing you satisfied your honor and are free of the moral debt you owed to pay your financial debts. Both good things.
Individuals practicing personal responsibility: essential for victory over The Triumvirate of Greed and Envy.
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Posted: November 10th, 2008 under Do the Right Thing.
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Comments
Comment from Rosemary
Time November 10, 2008 at 11:37 AM
I got into trouble with credit cards a looooooooong time ago. I have a credit card or two, and I don’t buy anything unless I have the money in the bank to cover it with a check. It is still good for your Credit Score, but that’s about it. (Except that’s whole point of having one in the first place for me. lol) Have a nice day.
Comment from John
Time November 10, 2008 at 12:31 PM
I know this will sound like a crass commercial–to borrow the term from a talk show host who I won’t name–but there’s a site called “living on a Dime” that offers some e-books on getting out of debt, budgeting, buying food wisely, buying gifts wisely, etc. It’s linked on the right sidebar of my blog page under Survival Lifestyles at http://www.destinysurvival.com.
John
Comment from Perri Nelson
Time November 10, 2008 at 2:40 PM
My wife and I had problems with credit card debt for a long time. We finally got rid of it and were able to gain quite a few other benefits besides the good feeling of not having those outlandish interest rates hanging over our head. Things like actually qualifying for a mortgage so that we could buy our own home.
We nearly fell into the trap again thanks to the aggressive marketing of credit cards to homeowners. Thankfully we stayed away from credit cards. Today we don’t hold a single credit card, and we make our purchases with cash (or our debit cards, which amounts to the same thing).
It’s a wonderful feeling not being saddled with all of that revolving debt in a time when the economy is facing such uncertainty.
Now, if only (as a 3.x) post would have it, we could teach our congresscritters the same principle on a national scale. Or our state legislatures… They’re the ones crying for a federal bailout about now…
Comment from David
Time November 10, 2008 at 3:06 PM
John,
That’s exactly what I’m looking for: comments that give readers more resources for Doing the Right Thing.
Perri,
Yes, this is a “TRA 3.X” principle we need to work to pound into our congresscritters’ heads as well, and as citizens who learn to behave this way get involved in the political process locally and at State and federal levels, perhaps we can elect more “frugal politicians” to office. Perhaps. Really swimming against the current, but we need to.
Pingback from The World According To Carl
Time November 10, 2008 at 3:29 PM
[...] to Rosemary’s Thoughts, Take Our Country Back, Political Byline, Faultline USA, third world county, DragonLady’s World, Rosemary’s News and Ideas, The Pink Flamingo, Cao’s Blog, [...]
Trackback from Right Truth
Time November 10, 2008 at 6:24 PM
The Basis for a Strong Nation – Defending the United States Constitution…
The Basis for a Strong NationBy R.J. Godlewski© November 10, 2008, All Rights Reserved11. Defending the United States Constitution They say that there are only two absolutes in life: death and taxes. This is wrong, for there is a third,……
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 10, 2008 at 9:33 PM
I Wanna Be Ben Bernanke’s Barber…
Get it?
If you haven’t heard by now, Ben Bernanke is playing tight lips when it comes to letting the tax payers know where two trillion scooby snacks are. Scooby snacks being dollars, not “joints” you stoners.
Fed Chairman Ben S. …
Trackback from Woman Honor Thyself
Time November 10, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Happy BirthdaY Marines!…
“What Part of Marine Don’t you Understand.”
……
Trackback from Adam’s Blog
Time November 11, 2008 at 1:11 AM
Are You Ready to Be Ruled?…
Podcast Show Notes
CBS reports how Obama must work to win over the media (because they’re so skeptical.) (Hat Tip: Newsbusters.)
Plus will Obama be “ruling” January 20.
He may not have done anything yet, but let’s have a Nationa…
Trackback from Adam’s Blog
Time November 11, 2008 at 1:11 AM
Are You Ready to Be Ruled?…
Podcast Show Notes
CBS reports how Obama must work to win over the media (because they’re so skeptical.) (Hat Tip: Newsbusters.)
Plus will Obama be “ruling” January 20.
He may not have done anything yet, but let’s have a Nationa…
Trackback from Adam’s Blog
Time November 11, 2008 at 1:11 AM
Are You Ready to Be Ruled?…
Podcast Show Notes
CBS reports how Obama must work to win over the media (because they’re so skeptical.) (Hat Tip: Newsbusters.)
Plus will Obama be “ruling” January 20.
He may not have done anything yet, but let’s have a Nationa…
Pingback from The World According To Carl
Time November 11, 2008 at 1:35 AM
[...] to Rosemary’s Thoughts, Take Our Country Back, Faultline USA, third world county, Right Truth, DragonLady’s World, Rosemary’s News and Ideas, The Pink Flamingo, [...]
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 11, 2008 at 3:21 AM
Breaking! Obama Names Members Of Newly Formed “Office Of Urban Development”…
Inner city citizens praise the new found use for tax money the government doesn’t have! Yet…
By Al Kamen (WaPo)
The intense back-stabbing amongst Democrats for top jobs in the Obama administration assumes there are a fixed number of job…
Pingback from Poll: Newt Gingrich versus Michael Steele for RNC Chair | Right Voices
Time November 11, 2008 at 9:29 AM
[...] My A**, DragonLady’s World, Cao’s Blog, Democrat=Socialist, Conservative Cat, , third world county, Faultline USA, Political Byline, Woman Honor Thyself, McCain Blogs, The World According to Carl, [...]
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 11, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Greatest Idea Ever!…
Why didn’t we think of this before?
Let’s bring a bunch of these guys…
Put them here…
And let these guys handle the whole thing…
Surely, America is in good hands….
H/T: CB
Trackposted to The Virtuous Republic, …
Trackback from Leaning Straight Up
Time November 11, 2008 at 4:01 PM
On man to rule them all?…
Exaggeration? Perhaps.
Yet, shouldn’t we consider the phrasing of one of his supporters?
Obama Spokesman Says ‘Obama Ready to RULE on Day 1′
The co-chair of Barack Obama’s Transition Team, Valerie Jarrett, appeared on Meet…
Pingback from The World According To Carl
Time November 11, 2008 at 6:19 PM
[...] to Take Our Country Back, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Faultline USA, third world county, Right Truth, DragonLady’s World, Rosemary’s News and Ideas, The Pink Flamingo, [...]
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 11, 2008 at 9:01 PM
Obama & Emmanuel’s Mandatory “Civilian National Security Force”…
I always thought the euro model of compulsory military or “trade” service/training for young folks a good thing, having witnessed it first hand in Germany. I’m torn on this one folks, someone smack the kool-aid from my lips!
Nake…
Comment from Lucy Stern
Time November 11, 2008 at 9:56 PM
David, good advice. TF and I are out of debt except for the house. We have a couple of charge cards but we only charge what we can pay off at the end of the month. We are working on increasing our emergency funds and we have food stored to keep us going during hard times.
When you are born of depression era parents, you learn real quick how to stay out of debt and use every little thing that you have. PS. I love listening to Dave Ramsey, he has wonderful ideas…
Trackback from Beagle Scout
Time November 11, 2008 at 11:13 PM
Liberal Comedians: BO Not Funny!…
NEW YORK (November 11, 2008) — Liberal comedians are talking about where the funny went, experts say.
Liberal comedians like Jay Leno and David Letterman are worried about their jokes now that George W. Bush (GWB) will be leaving the White House …
Trackback from Woman Honor Thyself
Time November 11, 2008 at 11:49 PM
Obama and um..”Change”…
Can anyone refute this rationally?
……
Trackback from Leaning Straight Up
Time November 12, 2008 at 2:09 AM
Out of the mouths of babes: Waking up to the fractured world we call politics…
My daughter has been a frequent co-contributer to this blog, mostly behind the scenes in the form of ideas, inspiration and occasionally comments. But several times she has also appeared in the form of blogs I have reposted, with understandable fath…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 12, 2008 at 2:51 PM
Can We Call John McCain A Dick Yet?…
Challenge to Arizona Right Wingers. Make sure this dingleberry loses his senate job. Can you help us out?
Pajamas Media:
Once again, John McCain’s actions betray the character traits conservatives abhorred about the man during his years in the …
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 12, 2008 at 7:02 PM
SHOCKING! Cindy McCain Spotted At Moody Blues Concert!…
Oh, and the National Enquirer say’s she was making out with some dude that wasn’t Sen. John McCain.
The ENQUIRER’s exclusive bombshell expose as Sen. John McCain’s wife, Cindy, is caught with another man!
Not only that but mul…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 13, 2008 at 6:27 AM
Nunn & Haas Briefed Couric On Douche Tactics Prior To Gov. Palin Interview…
….Couric shed some light on her preparation for the interviews: Beforehand, she sought advice from former senator Sam Nunn and Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haas. They told her to draw Palin out on her geopolitical worldview and …
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 13, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Leo Donofrio May Have The Best Chance At FORCING Obama To Produce A Birth Certificate…
Let me start by saying this is for informative purposes. For all of you faithful worshipers, really don’t care to hear anything you have to say. After all, you have a mental disorder.
Pamela Geller, Author Atlas Shrugs
Why the photo of Pam…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 13, 2008 at 5:36 PM
What Is Comunism? “I Led 3 Lives”…
Take 14 minutes out of your day and watch this television show from the 50’s and be creeped out by the similarities of what you see happening today.
Educational video presented by Herbert A. Philbrick, former undercover agent for the FBI, autho…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 14, 2008 at 1:07 AM
BREAKING! Former President Clinton Spoke With Criminal Elect Hussein Obama…
The session took place behind closed doors but sources close to the two leaked details of the conversations main talking point. Bill Clinton needs access to some international poohnanny and he needs Baracks help. Hussein may have come up with a sol…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 14, 2008 at 10:44 AM
How To Make A Scumbag Terrorist With Ties To The “Criminal Elect” A Fuzzy Lil Bunny In 834 Words Or Less…
During the election season there wasn’t a peep about Obama’s ties to domstic terrorist Bill Ayers. Now ABC admits, “Obama and Ayers have several connections.”
Ayers became a bogeyman for Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 14, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Caption Hillary Clinton!…
This dress begs to be mocked, and who better to do it than me and my three readers…
Ladies and Gentlemen, Bill hasn’t touched me in a biblical way for decades and I suffered in silence. With the rumors swirling of the position of Sec of …
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 15, 2008 at 12:26 AM
Victory and A (Pending) Defeat: C.A.I.R. & Obama’s Missing Birth Certificate…
C.A.I.R., the Islamic terrorist group who sought to silence Michael Savage by suing him into the poor house, suffered the final blow yesterday that should push them back under their rock for the time being. Meanwhile, “Criminal Elect” B. …
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 15, 2008 at 3:43 PM
How To Deal With A Vehicle Suspected Of Being Boobie Trapped With Boom Stuff…
Thanks to Live Leaker Avrage Poet, one of the most beautiful sounds on earth.
The noise startled Hopechange Man and left him clinging to the first thing he could find…
H/T: Jawa
Trackposted to Rosemary’s Thoughts, Right Truth, Shadowsco…
Trackback from Blog @ MoreWhat.com
Time November 16, 2008 at 7:19 PM
Hillary Movie…
Just the two words ‘Hillary Movie’ in an article title or sentence are enough to grab one’s attention. It is less clear whether the same reaction would arise by adding another pair of words, ‘Supreme Court’. But all four w…
Trackback from Woman Honor Thyself
Time November 16, 2008 at 9:59 PM
Saudi Arabia teaching Tolerance?…
President Bush and Peres:
Hang your heads in shame.
You’re a disgrace to anyone who lost a loved one in the Twin Towers, burned alive, by none other than our “Saudi” pals.
……
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 16, 2008 at 10:10 PM
Liberal Sissy Terrifies Mythical Warrior!!!…
I guess the rumors are true. Maria has removed the testicles of the Terminator.
This “man”…
Caused this ancient warrior…
To literally fill his loin cloth with mythical amounts of Cimmerian pooh, trying to explain that he wa…
Trackback from Democrat=Socialist
Time November 17, 2008 at 12:15 AM
What Would You Think Of “Ted”?…
Let’s try a little game and see if I can make a point to some of you out there who are confused about what Criminal Elect Hussein Obama does every time he goes abroad and sheepishly proclaims he needs to “fix” our standing in the worl…
Trackback from Rosemary’s Thoughts
Time November 10, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Devotional: ‘I Don’t Know’…
A very good man, David Jeffers, writes these daily devotionals. This is one that I just had to ask if he would mind if posted. It explains how I have been feeling and wandering about since the election. You should read it, even if you are not religio…..