I know some of you will think that I am being harsh/judgemental with this question but I just don’t think people use their common sense abilities sometimes. Do you know anyone that is always complaining about never having any money or enough money to pay their bills----------- BUT WAIT----------before you answer there is something else I want to throw in there – these same people can somehow “afford” to buy cigarettes, alcohol, have the highest priced cable/satellite packages, have the most expensive cell phone with every feature that comes with it, have large gas-guzzling vehicles, motorcycles, comic book collections, designer only clothes, have umpteen credit cards, etc.  There is nothing wrong with having things, it’s none of my business what people have, but I sure get fed up hearing about how broke they are.

It is just hard for me to comprehend why people want to complain about never having any/enough money to pay bills but yet they are not willing to give up some of these things , or at least downsize, to see just how much they can save and see how much extra they will have. My wife works with a lady that is always complaining about never having money – her husband has an ENORMOUS comic book collection (all packaged in sleeves and all are collector items) that, if sold, would take care of their money problems ( and then some) I have actually seen his collection. Mind-boggling.

Any thoughts/comments on what to say to these people?  (I know what my flesh wants to tell them )

SIDENOTE : If this has been covered before I do apologize.

There have been all kinds of studies and money is not a satisfier.  If a person doesn’t like their job because they feel they are underpaid, research has shown that even if given a 1000% raise for the same work, the person becomes dissatisfied after a few months.  That is one reason so many who win lotteries or quickly come into large sums of money soon return to the same shape or worse as they were in before the windfall.

I don’t think you can say anything to them that will provide immediate help.  They will only change with lifestyle changes which usually comes through teaching about managing money (church seminars, Dave Ramsey, etc).  I believe the Bible says, “My people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge.” I believe mismanaging personal resources due to stupidity is one of those areas where people are being destroyed.  More divorces happen due to money matters than due to infidelity.  Most crimes are committed due to money roots.  Money is not evil, but if it becomes our god, it becomes evil, evil becomes sin, and the wages (payment) for sin is death.

I agree that people should give up the extra’s like cable and cigs and STUFF they don’t need if they can’t afford it.  I have listened to Dave Ramsey. He is good. He gets to the nitty gritty of household money management.
I am 63 years old, now with my illness, I am downsizing STUFF.
I have said to myself, I wish I hadn’t wanted this stuff.  I could have saved some more money for my retirement.
When you are young you think you need STUFF.  I have talked to others that have downsized. We could have enjoyed LIFE and GOD’s goodness if we lived a more simple life.
Have friends and do not feel the need to keep up with the Jones as the old sayin goes. But GOD has supplied my NEEDS, there is a difference.
this subject is one of my pet peaves.
I see it in my family, can’t do anything about it.  I did buy them a Dave Ramsey money makeover book.

I agree if a person who purchases their way into debt and poverty, I don’t have a lot of sympathy for. 

But sometimes live delivers some cruel blows.  In 2000 I lost over $2,000,00.00 overnight in the stock market[ever hear of ENRON?], I was 53 at the time.  My wife and I lost our retirement and we started over.  Two years ago [at 59] I had open heart surgery, followed by cancer surgery 5 months later, and a pacemaker.  Later I received a bill for $1,600,000.00, my insurance company covered 90% which is a blessing, but I was still left with $160,000.00 owing.  Three months later I returned to work, I was laid off and I haven’t worked full time since.  Now we are loosing our home [after 10 years] and looking for a new place to live.  Our savings are fully depleted.  I’m still looking for work everyday.  Know one can say we live a Spartan life, we have many comforts but all of them were paid for at point of purchase.

I have been a saver and investor since my teens, following the pattern I know, now at 61, I’m starting over… again.  We have not been involved in purposeful self-destruction, or excessive consumerism and other than our home, we have no debt, other than for medical.  We even purchase our two cars cash.  Now we are facing bankruptcy. 

God is good and He has a plan, I believe that.  Amen.