Many people believe that the American dream has vanished. With people sinking into debt, losing their jobs, their homes and their lifestyle, the reality is setting in. The real problem is not with the economy or with the changing times. The problem is that we are a society of compulsive spenders.

Money Runs Through Our Fingers

We are surrounded by images on television and film of successful single women and men, living fabulous lives. They live in beautiful homes in which every closet is packed with mouth watering clothes, shoes, and junk of every kind. They have it and we want it.

We forget that these images are fantasies, created to show us a fantasy world. We cannot all achieve that sort of wealth, and shouldn’t really need to. We still want the things those fantasy characters have, and advertisers are only too happy to try and convince us to buy more of their goods through commercials.

We no longer have a few hours to consider whether we really need the products being advertised. Instant gratification and the ability to buy everything we think we want immediately has helped us to waste money too.

Keep Your Money For What You Need

But all is not lost. Learn to think twice before you spend. If you feel that you must have that special thing, whatever it is, you probably are feeling a loss or some tension in another area of your life. No matter how much money you spend, no purchase will make that feeling go away. This is especially true if the tension is due to debt or other financial issues.
 
A new pair of shoes will never turn you into the person on the television screen. Yes, they may look good. But if you are honest, you probably have several similar pairs in your closet collecting dust. We all need money for shelter and food, to pay our daily living expenses like rent, fuel and utilities. Being able to pay these bills gives us security.

When you are secure in your life, you will find that the other wants will become less important. When those expenses are taken care of and you feel secure, you will find that the additional material items do not hold as much attraction.

Spending money on things you cannot afford, no matter how nice they look, will not ease the stress of debt or financial burdens.

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Filed under: Credit • Personal Finance • Wealth Building

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